Objective: We performed a retrospective study to assess the postoperative results, long-term survival and quality of life after pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD) versus standard Whipple pancreaticoduodenectomy (WPD).
Methods: A retrospective study was performed in a nonselected series of 137 patients who were operated in the Surgical Clinics of "St. Spiridon" University Hospital Iaşi, Romania, from January 1st, 1995 till December 31, 2005. Demographics, preoperative and intraoperative data, as well as postoperative morbidity, mortality and follow-up were analyzed. Quality of life, after to at least six months after discharge, was also studied.
Results: There were no significant differences noted in demographics data. Jaundice was more frequent in the PPPD group as for WPD patients (p=0.047). For the most patients the digestive reconstruction after resection were performed as in Child technique: the first anastomosis was pancreaticojejunostomy (end-to-end or end-to-side), the second anastomosis was hepaticojejunostomy (end-to-side) and the last anastomosis was gastrojejunostomy end-to-side (duodenojejunostomy in PPPD group). For 31 cases a pancreatico-gastrostomy were performed. We also noted 14 cases with pancreatico-gastrostomy and duodenojejunostomy end-to-end, and a Roux jejunal loop for 3 patients with previous gastrectomy and gastrojejunostomy (Reichel-Polya). The operating time was shorter in the PPPD group as in WPD (p < 10-3), but the mean blood loss was the same. Postoperative morbidity rate was 46.8% in PPPD group vs 39.2% in WPD (p > 0.05), but the reintervention rate was significant higher in PPPD group (30.6% vs 15%; p = 0.027). We also noted no significant differences of Delayed Gastric Emptying, postoperative mortality rate (14.5% in PPPD group vs 10.1% in WPD group) and mean survival time (42.42 months (24.94 - 59.89; 95% CI) in PPPD group vs 46.78 months (28.07 - 61.50; 95% CI) in WPD group; log rank test p = 0.643). Pathological exam diagnosed a malignancy in 109 cases (54 cases with pancreatic cancer); we noted chronic pancreatitis in 22 cases. Quality of life was also the same in the two groups.
Conclusions: PPPD and WPD were associated with comparable results, but, there is a tendency of increase rate of postoperative morbidity and mortality for PPPD patients. We also noted that postoperative quality of life is the same for both procedures.