Management of a stenotic pancreatico-digestive tract anastomosis following pancreatoduodenectomy.

Abstract

Early postoperative complications of pancreatico-digestive anastomosis following pancreatoduodenectomy are pancreatic fistula and pancreatitis affecting the pancreatic tail. Stenosis of the anastomosis is a later complication. Symptomatic and painful presentations are difficult to treat, and the optimal treatment is not currently defined. The aim of this work was to retrospectively report two cases of pancreaticogastrostomy stenosis. In both patients, the complication was diagnosed, with pancreatitis that developed following pancreatoduodenectomy. These patients were treated surgically, by fashioning a new anastomosis. Pancreaticogastrostomy has been viewed as a simpler and more secure reconstruction technique, with a lower occurrence rate of pancreatic fistula, than that of pancreaticojejunostomy. One complication of this surgery, however, is stenosis of the anastomosis. Following pancreatoduodenectomy, stenosis of the pancreaticogastrostomy may not occur until many years later. In a significant percentage of patients it is without clinical signs. It may be discovered after systematic explorations of patients following pancreaticogastrostomy or pancreaticojejunostomy. There is no study regarding the optimal treatment of postoperative stenosis of a pancreatico-gastric anastomosis. We believe that the optimal treatment is surgical. The intervention involves resection of the stenosis, and the formation of a new anastomosis.