Relative displacement of anastomotic site of pancreato-jejunostomy in pancreatico-duodenectomy: a novel surgical reconstructive technique

INTRODUCTION: Intra-abdominal hemorrhage following pancreatic fistula is a fatal complication after pancreatico-duodenectomy. Intra-abdominal hemorrhage has reportedly decreased with the use of fibrin glue or polyglycolic acid felt and wrapping of the skeletonized vessels by omentum or falciform ligament. However, there are no extremely effective methods for the prevention of hemorrhage. Here, we report our novel and simple method for the prevention of intra-abdominal hemorrhage due to pancreatic fistula. METHODS: The anastomotic site of the pancreato-jejunostomy in pancreatico-duodenectomy is displaced from the superior to inferior side of the transverse mesocolon through a small window created on the left side of the middle colic artery of the transverse mesocolon. This procedure is expected to prevent exposure of the skeletonized vessels to activated pancreatic juice from a pancreatic fistula after lymph node dissection, decreasing the incidence of hemorrhage. Two drains are placed on the superior and inferior sides of the transverse mesocolon. We performed this procedure in seven patients and compared the amylase level in the drainage fluid from the superior and inferior sides. RESULTS: There was no difference in the fluid amylase level from the drains between the superior and inferior sides, because a pancreatic fistula was not present in all our patients. Therefore, we could not evaluate the efficacy of this method in the current study. CONCLUSIONS: Our procedure is theoretically expected to prevent intra-abdominal hemorrhage and will be an option in pancreatico-duodenectomy, especially for patients with a soft pancreas. However, it is necessary to evaluate the performance and results of this procedure in many more patients.