Dual loop (Roux en Y) reconstruction with isolated gastric limb reduces delayed gastric emptying after pancreatico-duodenectomy

BACKGROUND: Single loop reconstruction (SLR) was routine in our institution for patients undergoing pancreatico-duodenectomy (PD). Roux-en Y reconstruction with an isolated gastric limb (RIGL) recently became the reconstruction of choice. AIM: To evaluate the impact of RIGL on incidence and severity of delayed gastric emptying (DGE). METHODS: This is a single institution, retrospective analysis of patients undergoing PD. All patients undergoing PD from July 2010 through December 2016 were included in the study. Outcome of RIGL were compared to SLR. Primary measure of outcome included incidence and severity of DGE. Secondary measures of outcome were overall complications and postoperative mortality. RESULTS: One hundred and seventy-nine patients were included in the study. Fifty-two had RIGL, 127 had SLR. Overall complication rate was 40.2%, patients in the RIGL group experienced lower rates of DGE (15.4% vs 59.1%, P = 0.001). Other patient related outcomes were also significantly reduced: day of nasogastric tube removal (3 vs 5, P < 0.001), regain of normal diet (8 vs 9, P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis RIGL was associated independently with reduced rates of DGE (P < 0.001, OR 0.14) CONCLUSION: The current study shows that RIGL reduces the rate of DGE after PD. Further prospective randomized controlled trials are required to affirm the current data.