Hypothesis: Completion pancreatectomy in patients with pancreatic leakage associated with postoperative peritonitis after pancreaticoduodenectomy is a viable salvage procedure.
Design: Retrospective analysis from a cohort of consecutive patients admitted between January 1, 1989, and December 31, 1999, for postoperative peritonitis originating from pancreaticojejunostomy leakage.
Setting: Tertiary referral center with surgical intensive care unit specializing in the treatment of intra-abdominal sepsis.
Patients: Eight consecutive patients with postoperative peritonitis originating from pancreaticojejunostomy after pancreaticoduodenectomy, with a mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score of 18.6. We excluded patients with pancreatic fistulas or abscesses amenable to percutaneous drainage or other conservative treatment.
Intervention: Completion pancreatectomy.
Main outcome measures: Mortality, morbidity, and long-term outcome, which was assessed by interview.
Results: Three patients died in the postoperative period: 2 required early reoperation during the postoperative period and died of hemorrhage and sepsis, and 1 died of multiorgan failure without reoperation. Recurrence of carcinoma was responsible for late death of 2 other patients.
Conclusions: Postoperative peritonitis after pancreaticoduodenectomy still has high mortality; however, completion pancreatectomy may represent the only means to achieve source control of infection in cases of postoperative peritonitis.