Authors G. ROEYEN (1), M. JANSEN (1), L. RUYSSINCK (2), T. CHAPELLE (1), A. VANLANDER (2), B. BRACKE (1), V. HARTMAN (1), D. YSEBAERT (1), F. BERREVOET (2) / [1] Universitair Ziekenhuis Antwerpen, Antwerpen, Belgium, Hepatobiliary, Endocrine and Transplantation Surgery, [2] Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent, Gent, Belgium, General, Hepatobiliary and Liver Transplantation Surgery Introduction Recently, pancreaticogastrostomy (PG) has attracted renewed interest as a reconstruction technique after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), as it may imply a lower risk of clinical pancreatic fistula than reconstruction by pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ). Aim We hypothesise that PEI (Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency) is more common during clinical follow-up after PG than it is after PJ. Methods This study compares the prevalence of PEI in patients undergoing PD for malignancy with reconstruction by PG versus reconstruction by PJ. PEI during the first year of follow-up was defined as the intake of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) within one year postoperatively and/or an abnormal exocrine function test. Results A total of 186 patients, having undergone surgery at two university hospitals, were included in the study. PEI during the first year postoperatively was present in 75.0% of the patients with PG, compared to 45.7% with PJ (p<0.001). Intake of PERT within one year after surgery was found to be more prevalent in the PG group, i.e. 75.8% versus 38.5% (p<0.001). There was a trend towards more disturbed exocrine function tests after PG (p=0.061). Conclusions PEI is more common with PG reconstruction than with PJ reconstruction after pancreaticoduodenectomy for malignancy.
