Post-Operative Acute Pancreatitis After Pancreaticoduodenectomy

The occurrence of an acute inflammatory process of the pancreatic parenchyma after pancreatic resections has been reported in the literature, but the actual existence of a clinically evident post-pancreatectomy acute pancreatitis (PPAP), defined as a distinct postoperative complication, has been traditionally challenged or, at least, considered to be a rare event.

Emerging evidence, however, defines PPAP as an acute inflammatory/ischemic condition of the pancreatic remnant, able to trigger further postoperative morbidity.

The assessment of ischemic damage of the organ subjected to surgery was also evaluated in other scenarios, such as for the post-cardiac surgery myocardial infarction (MI) and the post-neurosurgery stroke. These ischemic complications, besides having well-defined biochemical features, maybe detected early on post-operative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The decrease of pancreatic perfusion may, in some instances, lead to an altered signal in diffusion-weighted images (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps. DWI MRI with Intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) sequences have also recently emerged as a key tool to provide quantitative estimates of physiological parameters associated with perfusion and permeability in vivo and can provide information on alterations of tissue cellularity, membrane-cell integrity, and the extracellular space.

The recent PPAP definition has left some unsolved issues, including the need to investigate the role of lipases as a diagnostic criterion, the actual spectrum of PPAP complications, the proper timing for postoperative radiological evaluation, and the preferred imaging modality for PPAP assessment.

Inclusion criteria

• Male and females ≥ 18 years;
• Scheduled for elective PD;
• ASA score < 4;
• High-quality preoperative cross-sectional imaging of the abdomen performed roughly within one month before surgery;
• Upfront or after neoadjuvant therapy surgery is allowed;
• Ability of the subject to understand the character and individual consequences of the clinical trial;
• Written informed consent.

Exclusion criteria

• Patients undergoing emergency surgery;
• Patients with high serum pancreatic amylase or lipase before surgery;
• Chronic use of steroids;
• Informed consent withdrawal;
• Pancreaticogastrostomy (PG);
• Use of octreotide analogs;
• Inability to perform the resection for any reason;
• Total or distal pancreatectomy;
• Need to extend the resection to the pancreas body for any reason.
• Inability to undergo MRI because of contraindications (e.g. claustrophobia, presence of non-MRI-compatible metal implants)