Postoperative care following pancreatic surgery: surveillance and treatment

After pancreatic surgery, some patients have complications that require treatment.

Review article based on a selective literature search and the German S3 guideline on pancreatic carcinoma.

Detailed knowledge of the surgical procedure and its potential early and late complications is a prerequisite for the recognition and treatment of problems occurring after pancreatic surgery. These may be due either to the operation itself or to the progression of the underlying pancreatic disease. Both diabetes mellitus and exocrine insufficiency are common long-term sequelae. If persistent pain should arise, its cause must be identified and treated. To prevent malnutrition and vitamin deficiency after pancreatic resection, patients should be given a diet with an increased fat content and with supplemental enzymes.

Appropriate methods are available for the accurate diagnosis and, in most cases, successful treatment of complications arising after pancreatic surgery.