Acinar cell scoring on histology of the pancreatic stump reinforces subjective texture assessment during pancreatoduodenectomy to predict post-operative pancreatic Fistula

Background/objectives

The surgical pancreatic texture (SPT), which is determined by palpation during surgery, can predict postoperative pancreatic fistulae (POPF) but is subjective. This observational study examined the accuracy and feasibility of our objective “Acinar Score (AS)” in predicting POPF based on acinar cell counts histologically confirmed during surgery.

Methods

Patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) at a single institution were enrolled. An expert pathologist evaluated and scored acinar cell density, along a scale from 1 (full acinar density) to 5 (no cells), on hematoxylin-and-eosin-stained slides of the pancreatic resection margin. The accuracy of POPF (grade B/C) prediction between the SPT and the AS was compared.

Results

Among the 55 patients with a hard pancreas, discrepancies between intraoperative palpation and histological acinar cell density (≥50 %; AS 1–2) were observed in 22 cases (40 %), of whom 4 (18.2 %) developed POPF. Patients with <50 % acinar density (AS 3–5) did not have POPF, irrespective of the pancreatic texture. Multivariate analysis revealed that AS≥ 2 and SPT were independent predictors of POPF. The combined model incorporating both SPT and AS yielded a higher AUC than either factor alone.

Conclusions

Objective acinar cell density assessment highlights discrepancies in traditional tactile evaluations for predicting POPF. AS strengthens the subjective findings of pancreatic texture evaluation in patients undergoing PD.