Delayed gastric emptying after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Risk factors, predictors of severity and outcome. A single center experience of 588 cases.

BACKGROUND: Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) is a common complication after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). This study was designed to evaluate perioperative risk variables for DGE after PD and analyze the factors that predict its severity.

PATIENTS AND METHOD: Demographic data, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables were collected.

RESULTS: A total of 588 consecutive patients underwent PD. One hundred and five patients (17.9 %) developed DGE of any type. Forty-three patients (7.3 %) had a type A, 53 patients (9.01 %) had DGE type B, and the remaining nine patients (1.5 %) had DGE type C. BMI > 25, diabetes mellitus (DM), preoperative biliary drainage, retrocolic reconstruction, type of pancreatic reconstruction, presence of complications, postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), and bile leaks were significantly associated with a higher incidence of DGE. Thirty-three (31.4 %) patients were diagnosed as primary DGE, while 72 (68.5 %) patients had DGE secondary to concomitant complications. Type B and C DGE were significantly noticed in secondary DGE (P = 0.04). Hospital stay was significantly shorter in primary DGE.

CONCLUSION: Retrocolic GJ, DM, presence of complications, type of pancreatic reconstruction, and severity of POPF were independent significant risk factors for development of DGE. Type B and C DGE were significantly more in secondary DGE.