to explore the biliary tree and to decrease jaundice preoperatively. Numerous randomized controlled trials have addressed the issue of preoperative biliary drainage and its impact on perioperative and postoperative results [3,4]. However, reports on outcomes of pancreatoduodenectomy following PBD have been conflicting. Some studies have underlined increased pre-operative, intra-operative and postoperative complications related to PBD such as bleeding, pancreatitis, duodenal perforation, cholangitis, cholecystitis, cardiopulmonary events and miscellaneous [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]. In contrast, others have noted no adverse effect on perioperative and postoperative outcomes and on the other hand, some authors have even noticed amelioration of postoperative outcomes with this strategy's application [3].Based on these considerations, the role of preoperative biliary drainage remains a matter of controversies. To assess its effects on postoperative outcomes, we performed this retrospective study.
Material and MethodsThis is a retrospective study, comparing preoperative biliary drainage with surgery alone in 200 jaundiced patients with pancreatic Keywords: Obstructive jaundice; Pancreatic head cancer; Preoperative biliary drainage; Post-operative outcomes
IntrodutionPancreatic cancer is an aggressive neoplastic disease, with overall 5-years survival rate from all stages of less than 5%, making it, the 4th cause of cancer related death in the United States of America. Despite the innovation of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities during the year 2013 it was estimated that approximately [45] 2200 people were diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma and 38,460 died from it. With the majority of patients presenting with unrespectable tumor, locally advanced or metastatic disease and around 80% of patients are jaundiced [1]. For those with respectable tumor without evidence of metastasis, pancreaticoduodenectomy is the only option for cure, whereas radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and other newer experimental therapeutic modalities such as anti-hormonal therapy or systemic use of anti-pancreatic cancer cell monoclonal antibodies have not led to substantial prognostic improvements.Obstructive jaundice is thought to increase the risk of perioperative and postoperative complications [2]. Experimental studies performed on mice assigned to biliary ligation to induce obstructive jaundice showed significant complications in these animals such as coagulopathy, Cholangitis, hepatic dysfunction, intestinal barrier derangement, immunity dysfunction, wound healing retardation, renal dysfunction, cardio-pulmonary insufficiencies as well as endotoxemia. Understanding well the pathophysiology of obstructive jaundice related complications in 1935 Sir A.O. Whipple first introduced the concept of preoperative biliary drainage in jaundiced patients with pancreatic head cancer in order to improve postoperative outcomes. Subsequently, Carter contributed with a percutaneous trans hepatic-cholangiography (PTC). In the late 1960s, McCune propo...