Implications and Cost of Pancreatic Leak Following Distal Pancreatic Resection

Abstract

Despite overall improvements in morbidity following pancreatic resection, leakage from the pancreatic stump (PL) following distal pancreatectomy remains problematic.¹ Its reported incidence varies markedly in the surgical literature from 0% to 64%.² This large variability is in part attributed to the lack of standardized definitions applied to PL and to whether fistula is combined with sterile and infected collections or other wound problems that are also a consequence of postoperative PL.^3,4