Modified 1-Layer Duct-To-Mucosa Pancreaticojejunostomy Reduces Pancreatic Fistula After Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is a major source of morbidity after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). The purpose of this retrospective study comparing 1-layer pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) with 2-layer PJ after PD was to evaluate whether the 1-layer duct-to-mucosa PJ after PD can reduce the incidence of POPF. A total of 194 consecutive patients who underwent PD by one group of surgeons (led by Y.M.) from January 2011 to February 2014 were included in this study. Among those patients, 104 underwent 1-layer PJ (1-layer group), and 90 patients underwent 2-layer PJ (2-layer group). Preoperative clinicopathologic features, intraoperative parameters, and postoperative morbidity with a focus on POPF were compared between the 2 groups. The overall incidence of POPF was 19.6% (38 of 194 patients), and clinically relevant grade B and C POPF rates were 8.6% (16 of 194 patients) and 3.1% (6 of 194 patients), respectively. There were no differences in patient demographics and operation-related factors between the 2 groups. However, the incidence of POPF in the 1-layer group was significantly lower than in the 2-layer group [13.5% (14 of 104) of patients and 26.7% (24 of 90) of patients, respectively; P = 0.021]. The median postoperative hospital stay was also significantly shorter in the 1-layer group compared with the 2-layer group (13 versus 15 days, P = 0.035). One patient in the 2-layer group died of postoperative hemorrhage. One-layer duct-to-mucosa PJ is a simple and easy technique for pancreaticojejunal anastomosis after PD, and it can reduce the POPF rate in comparison with the 2-layer technique.