ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Minerva Chirurgica 2012 October;67(5):407-13

Copyright © 2012 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Safety of a new biological adhesive after pancreatic resection

Cavallini M., La Torre M., Ferri M., Vitale V., Mercantini P., Dente M., Ziparo V. ✉

Surgical Department of Clinical Sciences, Biomedical Technologies and Translational Medicine, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology University, “La Sapienza” University, Rome, Italy

AIM: Pancreatic fistula (PF) represents the main complication (10%-29%) after pancreatic surgery. Soft pancreatic texture with a not dilated pancreatic duct represent the major risk factors for PF. Mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is reported in several large series to be <5%. PF and local sepsis are the main causes of delayed arterial hemorrage with a high mortality rate (14-38%). Therefore, any effort should be implemented in order to reduce the incidence of PF.
METHODS: In the present study we have extended the use of the biological adhesive Bioglue® to coat pancreatic resection surface after distal pancreasectomy (DP, N.=5) and pancreatico-jejunostomy (PJ) after PD (N.=18) in a consecutive series of 23 patients affected by periampullary or distal pancreatic neoplasms.
RESULTS: Operative mortality was observed in 2 instances: one case after PJ leakage (1/18, 5.5%) and one case after DP not related to PF (1/5, 20%). PF has been documented in 7/23 (30,4%) after pancreatic resection, and in all cases after PD. In 3 cases PF has been successfully treated conservatively by NPO and octreotide. 2 patients required radiological percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage and 2 patients required surgical drainage of multiple intrabdominal collections and radiological PTBD.
CONCLUSION: On the basis of these observations Bioglue® can be safely utilized to coat pancreatic surface after DP and pancreatico-jejunostomy after PD. This experience warrants further larger controlled studies of the potential value of Bioglue® in reducing the incidence of PF after major pancreatic surgery.