PolysorbR (an absorbable lactomer) staples, a safe closure technique for distal pancreatic resection

To investigate twenty-year experience evaluated the use of the Polysorb(R) (an absorbable lactomer) staples for distal pancreatic resection.

The data on 150 patients [92 men, 58 women, mean age 52 (24-72) years] who underwent distal pancreatectomy (DP) in the last 20 years were collected prospectively from an electronic database. The diagnosis was confirmed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, sonography, computed tomography and/or magnetic resonance imaging. The indications for DP were focal pancreatic necrosis, spontaneous pancreatic fistulas, abscesses, pseudocysts, segmental chronic obstructive pancreatitis in the tail, traumatic disruption, and benign (cystadenomas, insulinomas, or glucagonomas) or malignant tumours. The distal resections were performed without splenectomy in 29 of the 150 patients (19%). In the event of splenectomy, the splenic artery and vein were individually ligated, the TA-55 Auto Suture stapler, loaded with Premium Polysorb(R) 55 staples (5.5 mm), was placed across the gland, and the trigger was pulled, the action of which produced two staggered absorbable suture lines. The gland distal to the stapler was then amputated with a scalpel on the TA-55 stapler and the two rows of staples were left in the proximal pancreatic stump. After the distal resection, a drainage tube was inserted into the pancreatic bed.

The average duration of the operation was 150 min (range: 90-210 min) and no transfusion was indicated during the operation. After DP in one patient a type B fistula was diagnosed, which was treated successfully by conservative treatment comprising of 12-d octreotide medication (3 × 0.1 mg/d) and jejunal feeding. The incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistula was therefore 0.6%. Another 2 patients suffered postoperative pancreatitis, which was also conservatively treated. Reoperations were performed in 2 patients on the first or second postoperative day, necessitated by bleeding from the retroperitoneal region. The morbidity was 3.3% (5 patients), but no mortality occurred in the postoperative period. Overall, the postoperative period was uneventful without any complications (pancreatic fistula, abscess, bleeding or wound infection) in 145 patients. The length of the postoperative stay ranged between 8 and 16 d. For the 145 patients who had no any postoperative complications, the hospital stay was 8 or 9 d. No mortality occurred in the follow-up period (6 or 12 mo postoperatively); but 6 mo after surgery one patient suffered a pseudocyst following recurrent pancreatitis and was treated with cystojejunostomy.

Our clinical results demonstrated that the application of absorbable lactomer staples for distal pancreatic resection is a safe alternative to the standard closure technique.