Natural history and therapeutic strategies of post-pancreatoduodenectomy abdominal fluid collections: Ten-year experience in a single institution

TRIAL DESIGN: The aim of this study was to identify independent risk factors for post-pancreatoduodenectomy (post-PD) abdominal fluid collections (AFCs) and evaluate our management protocol on it. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of consecutive 2064 cases who underwent PD over the past decade in 1 single center was conducted. The patients were divided into AFCs and non-AFCs group. Univariable and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent risk factors of AFCs. The AFCs group was compared with the non-AFCs group with respect to the incidence of postoperative outcomes. The characteristics of AFCs were further analyzed in terms of clinical manifestations. RESULTS: Two thousand sixty-four cases with pancreaticoduodenectomy were recruited and 15% of them were found AFCs. Diameter of main pancreatic duct ≤3 mm was found to be an independent predictor of AFCs (P < .001), along with soft pancreatic texture (P = .002), mesenterico-portal vein resection (P < .001), and estimated intraoperative blood loss >800 mL (P < .001). The incidence of mild complications was significantly higher in AFCs group than in non-AFCs group (34% vs 20%, P < .001), whereas no significant differences were noted in the rate of severe complications between these 2 groups (15% vs 15%, P = .939). CONCLUSION: Enhanced drainage is recommended as an effective measure to decrease the incidence of severe complications caused by post-PD AFCs.