A "rendezvous technique" for treating a pancreatic fistula after distal pancreatectomy

Pancreatic fistulae are a major complication of distal pancreatectomy (DP). Some cases of severe pancreatic fistula require invasive procedures. There have been some reports concerning the effectiveness of pancreatic duct drainage through an endoscopic transpapillary approach for pancreatic fistulae.

We herein present a case of a pancreatic fistula after DP that was successfully treated with percutaneous pancreatic duct drainage, which was performed using a combined percutaneous and endoscopic approach, named the "rendezvous technique". In our case, we performed distal pancreatectomy with celiac artery resection for a locally advanced pancreatic body cancer. On postoperative day (POD) 7, the drain amylase level increased up to 37,460 IU/l. Computed tomography (CT) revealed peripancreatic fluid collections. On POD 10, we placed a catheter in the main pancreatic duct using the rendezvous technique. CT on POD 14 revealed a decrease in the size of the peripancreatic fluid collection, and contrast imaging from the drains on POD 22 revealed almost complete disappearance of the fluid collection. We withdrew the pigtail catheter on POD 27 and the percutaneous pancreatic duct drain on POD 36. This patient was discharged from our hospital on POD 40.

We herein report a new approach called the "rendezvous technique" for the management of pancreatic fistulae after DP that can be used instead of a stressful nasopancreatic tube.