BACKGROUND/AIMS: To determine the effects of Omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), on gastric stasis following a pylorus-preserving pancreatico-duodenectomy (PPPD) by means of a randomized trial of PPPD patients. METHODOLOGY: Forty-two PPPD patients were randomly divided into two groups: Group 1 (n=24) received a PPI through a jejunal tube after PPPD, whereas Group 2 (n=18), serving as controls, received a saline solution through a jejunal tube and no medication after a PPPD. The daily volume and total acidity of the gastric juice, aspirated via nasogastric tube, were measured each day for 7 days following PPPD. RESULTS: In Group 1 the mean daily aspirated volume of gastric juice was 160.2 ml, and the mean maximum volume was 222.8 ml on the first postoperative day. In Group 2, six patients were withdrawn from this study for therapy on the third or fourth postoperative day due to gastric bleeding and/or a large amount of excreted gastric juice (in excess of 2,000 ml). The mean daily aspirated volume of gastric juice in the remaining Group 2 patients was 787.4 ml, and the mean maximum volume was 1,039 ml on the third postoperative day. Gastric secretion was significantly lower in Group 1 (p<0.05). Further, the total acidity of the gastric juice was significantly lower in Group 1 than in Group 2 for each of the 7 postoperative days (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that postoperative administration of a PPI significantly suppresses the volume and acidity of the gastric juice after PPPD.

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Pancreatic duct patency after pancreaticogastrostomy: long-term follow-up study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To clarify whether the pancreatic duct remains patent during long-term follow-up of patients after pancreaticogastrostomy. In a previous study of pancreaticogastrostomy with post-operative follow up for 3 years after surgery, we found that the orifice of the pancreatic duct was difficult to detect in some patients because of swelling of the gastric mucosa. Previous studies have not examined pancreatic duct patency during long-term follow-up. METHODOLOGY: Between July 1985 and August 1989, 20 patients underwent a pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy with reconstruction by pancreaticogastrostomy. Five of these patients were followed up post-operatively for more than 9 years to determine the patency of the pancreatic duct. All pancreatic anastomoses were performed by the telescopic method. RESULTS: All 5 patients were female, with a mean age of 65.4 years (range: 54-75). Median post-operative follow-up was 10.8 years (range: 9-12). The indications for surgery were carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater in 4 patients and chronic pancreatitis in 1 patient. Pancreatic duct patency was confirmed in 4 patients by gastroscopy and pancreatography. However, the anastomotic orifice could not be detected in the remaining patient because of complete coverage by the gastric mucosa. In this patient, pancreatic exocrine and endocrine function deteriorated with dilation of the distal pancreatic duct. The patient underwent a second operation involving dissociation of the pancreatico-gastric anastomosis and resection of about 1 cm of the fibrous, proximal portion of the pancreas. Reconstruction was performed with a Roux-en-Y pancreaticojejunostomy and a mucosa-to-mucosa anastomosis. CONCLUSIONS: Although pancreaticogastrostomy has been applied as a safe and straightforward method for reconstruction after pancreaticoduodenectomy, anastomotic stenosis is a potential late complication of this approach.

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