Gastric wall-covering method prevents pancreatic fistula after distal pancreatectomy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS Pancreatic fistula is the most common complication after distal pancreatectomy. The aim of this study was to evaluate retrospectively the usefulness of a new surgical technique, the gastric wall-covering method, after distal pancreatectomy. METHODOLOGY The study group consisted of 53 patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy. The management of the stump of the remnant pancreas was accomplished by the gastric wall-covering method (GWC group, n=20) or by conventional surgery (CS group, n=33). In the gastric wall-covering method, the cut surface of the pancreas is fixed to the posterior wall of the gastric body. RESULTS There were no significant differences in operating time, intraoperative blood loss, or texture of the remnant stump between the two groups. Postoperative pancreatic fistula was diagnosed in 1 patient (5.0%) in the GWC group and in 12 patients (36.4%) in the CS group (P=0.01). CONCLUSIONS The gastric wall-covering method for the management of the pancreatic stump after distal pancreatectomy reduces the incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistula.