Complications of pancreato-duodenectomy.

UNLABELLED: Pancreato-duodenectomy (PD) is the procedure of choice for management of resectable periampullary and pancreatic cancers and some patients with chronic pancreatitis. PD is one of the most major GI/ HPB surgical procedures performed involving resection of multiple organs and reconstruction with multiple anastomoses. While mortality of PD has been brought down to less than 5% morbidity still remains high.Patients undergoing PD are usually elderly with comorbidities - general complications of a major operation e.g. wound, chest, cardiac and venous thrombo-embolism, are common.The major intra-operative morbidity of PD is bleeding which can be from multiple sites viz. gall bladder bed, choledochal veins, gastro-colic trunk, pancreato-duodenal veins, jejunal veins, uncinate veins and cut surface of pancreas. An aberrant right hepatic artery (from the superior mesenteric artery) can be injured while dissecting the common bile duct.Pancreatic leak is defined as presence of amylase rich (>3x serum amylase) fluid in drain beyond 3 days. It is graded as A (no clinical impact), B (persists, infected) or C (systemic sepsis, reoperation). Investigation of choice is computed tomography; a localized collection can be drained percutaneously. Major leak requires reexploration at which lavage and drainage should be performed; no attempt should be made to repair or redo the anastomosis. Soft pancreas and undilated duct are the two most important risk factors for pancreatic anastomotic leak; role of octreotide to prevent the leak is debatable. Preoperative biliary drainage in the form of endoscopic stenting may reduce bleeding complications by controlling coagulopathy but increases the risk of infective complications.Postoperative bleed can be early or delayed and intra-luminal or intra-abdominal. Early intra-abdominal bleed is surgical - either a slipped ligature e.g. of the gastro-duodenal artery or one of the veins or from the pancreato-duodenal bed; reexploration should be done to control it if it is severe. Early intra-luminal bleed is from one of the anastomoses - commonest being the pancreatic. UGIE rules out bleed from the gastro/duodenal anastomosis (which if present, can be controlled endoscopically). Control of pancreatic stump bleed requires reoperation - taking down anterior layer of the anastomosis or a jejunotomy. Delayed intra-abdominal bleed is from a pseudo-aneurysm of an artery, usually gastro-duodenal caused by erosion by an abscess secondary to a leak; treatment of choice is angio-embolization. Delayed intra-luminal bleed is because of stress ulcers caused by systemic sepsis usually secondary to a leak and intra-abdominal sepsis.Other common complications include delayed gastric emptying and acute pancreatitis.Reoperations after PD are frequent - commonest cause is bleed, followed by leak; mortality of reexploration is high. Long term complications include anastomotic (PJ/ HJ) stricture, endocrine and exocrine insufficiency and inability to regain weight and poor quality of life. KEY WORDS: pancreato-duodenectomy complications.