Three-Dimensional Remnant Pancreatic Volumetry Predicts Postoperative Pancreatic Fistula in Pancreatic Cancer Patients after Pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Background: Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is a serious complication that can occur following pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Recent studies suggest that remnant pancreatic volume (RPV) values from preoperative multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) are highly predictive of POPF. We performed three-dimensional (3D) surgical simulation of PD including RPV measurements. The aim of this study was to determine whether 3D-measured RPV is predictive of POPF after PD.

Methods: We used the SYNAPSE VINCENT® medical imaging system (Fujifilm Medical Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) to construct 3D images after integrating MDCT and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography images. RPV was measured using this 3D image, which simulated actual intraoperative pancreatic parenchymal remnant volume. Ninety-one patients who underwent PD were retrospectively enrolled. Using multivariate analysis, RPV and other well-known POPF risk factors were independently assessed.

Results: Multivariate analysis identified high RPV values (hazard ratio [HR] = 8.41, p = 0.01), pancreatic duct diameter < 3.0 mm (HR = 5.48, p < 0.01), no pathological fibrosis (HR = 3.41, p < 0.01), and body mass index > 25 kg/m² (HR = 1.53, p = 0.02) as independent risk factors for POPF.

Conclusion: The present study indicates that preoperative 3D-measured RPV is predictive of POPF after PD.