Early postoperative drain fluid amylase in risk-stratified patients promotes tailored post-pancreatectomy drain management and potential for accelerated discharge.

BACKGROUND: First postoperative day drain fluid amylase (DFA1) <5000 U/L is commonly used for early drain removal. We manage patients with risk-stratified pancreatectomy care pathways determined preoperatively by risk for postoperative pancreatic fistula. We hypothesized that preoperative risk stratification would yield unique DFA1/DFA3 cutoffs for safe early drain removal.
METHODS: Patients with DFA1/DFA3 values after pancreaticoduodenectomy or distal pancreatectomy were identified. Patients were risk stratified as "low-risk pancreaticoduodenectomy," "high-risk pancreaticoduodenectomy," or "distal pancreatectomy." Receiver operator characteristic analyses yielded clinically relevant sensitivity thresholds for International Study Group on Pancreatic Surgery grade B/C postoperative pancreatic fistulas.
RESULTS: From October 2016 to April 2018, 174 patients were preoperatively stratified as low-risk pancreaticoduodenectomy (n = 78, 45%), high-risk pancreaticoduodenectomy (n = 51, 29%), and distal pancreatectomy (n = 45, 26%). B/C postoperative pancreatic fistulas developed in 3% (n = 2) of low-risk pancreaticoduodenectomies, 37% (n = 19) of high-risk pancreaticoduodenectomies, and 24% (n = 11) of distal pancreatectomies (low- vs high-risk pancreaticoduodenectomy P < .001, low-risk pancreaticoduodenectomy versus distal pancreatectomy P = .004, high-risk pancreaticoduodenectomy versus distal pancreatectomy P = .25). B/C postoperative pancreatic fistulas occurred in 16% (n = 21) pancreaticoduodenectomy patients (high- + low-risk pancreaticoduodenectomy), and B/C postoperative pancreatic fistulas were excluded in pancreaticoduodenectomy with 100% sensitivity if DFA1 ≤ 136 or DFA3 ≤ 93. DFA1 < 5000 excluded B/C postoperative pancreatic fistulas with only 57% sensitivity after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Exclusion of B/C postoperative pancreatic fistulas occurred with 100% sensitivity if DFA1 ≤ 661 or DFA3 ≤ 141 in low-risk pancreaticoduodenectomy patients, DFA1 ≤ 136 or DFA3 ≤ 93 in high-risk pancreaticoduodenectomy patients, and DFA1 < 49 or DFA3 < 26 in distal pancreatectomy patients.
CONCLUSION: Preoperative risk stratification results in unique DFA1/DFA3 thresholds to exclude B/C postoperative pancreatic fistulas, thus allowing for safe drain removal and potential for accelerated discharge. Rather than applying generic DFA cutoffs based on national databases, we propose institution-specific DFA1 and DFA3 values tailored to 3 replicable postoperative pancreatic fistula-risk pathways.