[Perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis for pancreas resections with and without preoperative bile drainage : Is there...

Whether an immediate surgical treatment or preoperative bile drainage (PBD) should be performed in cases of obstructive jaundice caused by a pancreatic carcinoma has been a matter of controversy for decades. The aim of this study based on in-house patient data was to evaluate both the influence of PBD on septic complications and to analyze intraoperative bile samples in patients with PBD in order to formulate current recommendations for antibiotic treatment.

Relevant data from all pancreatic resections performed in this hospital from January 2013 to December 2017 were collected in a prospective database and were retrospectively analyzed. Depending on the presence of a PBD the collected data were checked for postoperative complications. In addition, the spectrum of bacteria on bile duct swabs was analyzed in patients with PBD and the sensitivity to ampicillin-sulbactam was tested according to the resistogram. Subsequently, an antibiotics recommendation for the practice was compiled.

Within the period under consideration 197 pancreas resections were performed in this hospital, 122 of which were duodenopancreatectomies and 20 total pancreatectomies (n = 142). A PBD was performed in 28.2% (40/142) of the patients. There were no significant differences in mortality, intra-abdominal abscesses, post-pancreatectomy hemorrhages (PPH) or postoperative pancreatic fistulas (POPF) depending on a PBD. On the other hand, a significantly higher rate of postoperative wound infections was found in patients with PBD (+PBD 18/40, 45.0% vs. -PBD 13/102, 12.7%, P < 0.0001). Bacteriobilia was found in 86.8% (33/38) of patients with PBD. In 47.4% (18/38) of patients with PBD at least 1 detected bacterium of the bile duct culture was not sensitive to ampicillin-sulbactam. Regarding the antibiotics piperacillin-tazobactam 8 patients (21%) and ciprofloxacin or imipenem 4 patients each (10.5%) showed a bacterium with resistance.

In general, the indications for a PBD should be strictly applied. If a PBD needs to be performed, perioperative antibiosis should be optimized to minimize subsequent complications. A hospital adjusted perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis should be developed and preoperatively obtained swab results, e. g. within endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) can be used to increase the effectiveness of perioperative antibiotics. Based on an internal analysis of intraoperative bile duct swabs, ciprofloxacin is used in this hospital for the perioperative antibiotic treatment of patients with PBD.