Draining T-Tube Jejunostomy: A Technique to Get Out of Trouble

A perforated viscus in the postpancreaticoduodenectomy setting is a rare phenomenon and a devastating complication. In this situation, adherence to damage-control principles demands minimizing the operative intervention while addressing the intestinal perforation as a way to mitigate the injurious effects on a complex gastrointestinal reconstruction. Herein, we describe our intraoperative decision-making with an unconventional approach in the management of a perforated viscus in the postpancreaticoduodenectomy setting using a draining T-tube jejunostomy. Our patient recovered remarkably well from this and was discharged from the hospital in six days with a controlled draining T-tube jejunostomy, which was subsequently removed on postoperative day 35. Our case illustrates an important option when dealing with a perforated viscus in the complex gastrointestinal surgery patient that has minimal morbidity, adequate source control, and the potential for an excellent clinical outcome. As surgical care continues to be delivered in a specialty-driven manner, a draining T-tube jejunostomy presents the ideal technique to get out of trouble for the general surgeon practicing in the community who may not be as experienced with complex gastrointestinal surgery.