Biliary and duodenal bypass for carcinoma of the head of the pancreas.

A review was undertaken of 66 patients having palliative bypass surgery for carcinoma of the head of the pancreas. A second laparotomy for relief of duodenal obstruction was necessary in six of 29 (20%) of the patients who did not have gastroenterostomy performed initially, but late gastric outlet obstruction occurred only once in 37 patients having an initial gastroenterostomy (P less than 0.05). Cholecystojejunostomy failed to provide permanent biliary bypass in 14 of 53 (26%) patients, compared to successful drainage in all 13 patients having anastomosis of the common hepatic duct to the jejunum (P less than 0.05). In seven patients cholecystojejunostomy was performed when the cystic duct was already obstructed by tumour. Therefore prophylactic gastrojejunostomy is recommended as a routine. The gallbladder should only be used for biliary bypass when appropriate contrast x-rays have demonstrated the patency of the cystic duct.