Preoperative EUS Elastography for Pancreatic Texture and POPF Prediction After PD

This prospective study evaluates whether preoperative endoscopic ultrasound elastography (EUS-E) can predict pancreatic texture during surgery and risk of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) in 100 patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy. EUS-E measures pancreatic stiffness preoperatively. Intraoperative texture ("soft" or "hard") is assessed by surgeons blinded to EUS-E results. POPF is graded using ISGPF criteria. Predictive accuracy of EUS-E will be analyzed statistically.

Pancreaticoduodenectomy is a complex surgery with significant morbidity, primarily due to postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF). Soft pancreatic texture is a major risk factor for POPF. Endoscopic ultrasound elastography (EUS-E) is a promising tool for assessing tissue stiffness. This study will prospectively enroll patients undergoing PD. Preoperative EUS-E will be performed, and intraoperative pancreatic texture will be assessed by the surgeon. Postoperative outcomes, especially POPF, will be meticulously recorded. The study will analyze the diagnostic accuracy of EUS-E for pancreatic texture, its correlation with POPF severity,, as well as the impact on patient outcomes. Data will be collected from medical records, EUS reports, surgical notes, and pathology reports, with strict quality control and confidentiality measures. Statistical analysis will include Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis for accuracy, and regression analyses to identify predictors and assess impact on outcomes. In this study, blinding (masking) is implemented as follows: * Surgeons are blinded to the results of the preoperative endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) elastography. They do not have access to the pancreatic stiffness measurements before or during surgery, ensuring their intraoperative assessment of pancreatic texture remains unbiased. * Outcome assessors-those evaluating postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) and other clinical outcomes-are also blinded to both the preoperative elastography results and the intraoperative texture assessment. This reduces the risk of detection bias when determining study endpoints.