TABLE 3.
Pancreatic Fistula and Postoperative Course based on Per-protocol Analysis
| Stapling closure (n = 61) | PJ (n = 58) | P | |
| Pancreatic fistula* | 23 (37.7%) | 24 (41.4%) | 0.356 |
| Grade A | 13 (21.3%) | 18 (31.1%) | |
| Grade B | 8 (13.1%) | 6 (10.3%) | |
| Grade C | 2 (3.3%) | 0 (0%) | |
| Clinically pancreatic fistula† (grade B/C) | 10 (16.4%) | 6 (10.3%) | 0.334 |
| Amylase level of drainage fluid on POD 1, median (range) (IU/L) | 1,657 (92–37,410) | 938 (122–10,660) | 0.244 |
| Amylase level of drainage fluid on POD 3, median (range) (IU/L) | 245 (12–96,687) | 296 (18–3,454) | 0.722 |
| Amylase level of drainage fluid on POD 4, median (range) (IU/L) | 125 (7–48,483) | 107 (19–3,527) | 0.606 |
| The day until first flatus, median (range) (days) | 3 (1–19) | 3 (1–5) | 0.686 |
| Start of solid diet, median (range) (days) | 5 (2–22) | 4 (2–20) | 0.816 |
| Time to drain removal, median (range) (days) | 4 (3–83) | 4 (3–36) | 0.268 |
| Percutaneous drainage‡ | 6 (9.8%) | 6 (10.3%) | 0.927 |
| Reoperation | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0.999 |
| Postoperative hospital stay, median (range) (days) | 16 (7–98) | 16 (8–130) | 0.727 |
*Pancreatic fistula is defined according to the International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgeons (ISGPF) in its pancreatic fistula recommendation.
†Clinical pancreatic fistula is defined as pancreatic fistula grade B/C based on ISGPF.
‡Percutaneous drainage undertaken for postoperative management of intra-abdominal abscess related to pancreatic fistula.