Monitoring of patIents With Microdialysis Following Pancreaticoduodenectomy

A pancreaticoduodenectomy is performed in patient with pancreatic cancer. The most common and serious complication is leakage between the intestine and the remnant pancreas after this procedure. It occurs in 20-30%. The result is often prolonged hospital and ICU stay, reoperations and deaths (3-5%). To detect a leakage early before the patient becomes seriously ill, thereby initiating treatment is therefore very important. By inserting a thin microdialysis catheter near the anastomosis between pancreas and intestine before closure of the abdominal wall, the investigators will analyze substances such as lactic acid, pyruvate, glycerol, etc. and if these substances may reveal anastomosis leakage at an early stage. Observational studies have shown that if a leakage occurs, glycerol concentration in the microdialysate will rise significant after few hours, and changes in lactic acid and pyruvate values will change as a sign of inflammation. The investigators want to conduct a randomized study comparing patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy and using microdialysis in half of the included population.

Anastomotic leakage after pancreaticoduodenectomy is a feared complication with substantial mortality and morbidity. Treatment of a postoperative pancreatic fistula can be difficult and management may range from a simple observation with or without percutaneous drainage, to the urgent need for reoperation and management of abdominal sepsis with organ failure and prolonged intensive care. To diagnose a pancreatic fistula may have a delay of several days. The risk of death and severe morbidity raises considerable from a biochemical pancreatic fistula compared to the most serious form, a grade C. Also, the cost of managing a patient with a fistula is 1.3-6 times more than a patient with no complications after PD. Microdialysis is a promising tool in patients who undergoes pancreaticoduodenectomy for early detection of postoperative pancreatic fistula development. The technique may reveal an fistula before severe symptoms occur and before the complication gives the patient serious and life-threatening symptoms. Earlier intervention of the postoperative pancreatic fistula may lead to better prognosis, less reoperations and interventions and shorter stay at the ICU/hospital. By monitoring intraperitoneal metabolites (glycerol, lactate, pyruvate and glucose) close to the pancreaticojejunostomy, signs of a leakage may be discovered in few hours, thereby make it possible for early intervention and prevent developement of serious progression of morbidity. The investigators want to perform a randomized study where half of the patients will receive a microdialysis catheter implanted close to the pancreaticoduodenal anastomosis before closure of the abdomen. At certain timepoints postoperatively microdialysate will be analyzed for glycerol, lactate, pyruvate and glucose and the data will be used in the decisionmaking of diagnosing a pancreatic anastomosis leakage in addition to standard management. The other half of the patients will not receive a microdialysis catheter and the decisionmaking will only be based on standard management (ie. inflammation markers in blood samples, amylase in drainage fluid).