Modified Heidelberg technique of pancreatic anastomosis postpancreaticoduodenectomy – 10 years of experience

CONTEXT: Pancreatic fistula has forever been a dreaded complication after pancreatic anastomosis (PA). We present a retrospective analysis of 10 years of experience with the Modified Heidelberg technique (MHT) that has been recently described. AIM: The aim of the study is to establish postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) rates after MHT. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This is a retrospective observational study carried out at a tertiary cancer center in South India in the Department of Surgical Oncology. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Two hundred and eight consecutive patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and PA with MHT for a variety of proximal pancreatic lesions from January 2008 to February 2018 were included in this study. The incidence of POPF was recorded by the International Study Group on Pancreatic Fistula 2005 and 2016 definitions. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Epidemiological and clinical data are expressed in ratios and percentage and presented in table format. RESULTS: Between January 2008 and March 2016, 186 patients underwent PD, and MHT was used for PA. Five (2.7%) patients developed Grade A POPF whereas Grades B and C were seen in three (1.6%) patients each with one death. Between April 2016 and February 2018, 22 patients underwent PD. Two patients (9%) had biochemical leak whereas none of them developed clinically relevant POPF. No deaths were recorded in this period. Overall, Grade B and Grade C POPF rates were 1.4% each, whereas 30-day mortality was 0.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study indicate that MHT is a safe, reliable, easy to learn, and adopt technique of pancreatic reconstruction after PD.