Clinical Implications of Intraoperative Fluid Therapy in Pancreatic Surgery

Recent studies have suggested that intraoperative fluid overload is associated with a worse outcome after major abdominal surgery. However, evidence in the field of pancreatic surgery is still not consistent. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether intraoperative fluid management could affect the outcome of a major pancreatic resection.

Prospective analysis of 350 major pancreatic resections performed in 2016 at the Department of General and Pancreatic Surgery-The Pancreas Institute, University of Verona Hospital Trust. Patients were dichotomized according to intraoperative fluid volume administration (near-zero vs. liberal fluid balance) and matched using propensity score. Intraoperative fluid administration was then correlated to the postoperative outcome.

Liberal fluid balance was associated with an increased rate of Clavien-Dindo ≥ IIIB both after pancreaticoduodenectomy (60.3 vs. 30.2%, p < 0.01) and distal pancreatectomy (50 vs. 27.1%, p = 0.03). In case of pancreaticoduodenectomy, liberal fluid balance was also associated with an increased rate of pancreatic fistula (33.3 vs. 19.9%, p = 0.05), but when considering patients with soft remnants, an increase rate of pancreatic fistula (52.8 vs. 23%, p = 0.03) was indeed associated with the near-zero fluid balance.

Considering all pancreatic resections, a liberal fluid balance is associated with an increased rate of postoperative morbidity. However, in the case of PD with a soft pancreas, an NZF balance could lead to pancreatic stump ischemia and anastomotic failure. Intraoperative fluid management should be managed according to patient's pancreas-specific risk factors.