Antimicrobial susceptibility of biliary stents do not predict infectious complications after whipple

Lawrence M Knab1, Mary Varsanik2, Ruojia Li1

  • 1Department of Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL.

Surgery
|July 19, 2020
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Preoperative biliary stents in pancreaticoduodenectomy patients did not significantly increase infectious complications. Biliary stent bacterial resistance to antibiotics also did not impact postoperative infection rates, suggesting multifactorial causes.

Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology
  • Surgical Oncology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Postoperative infectious complications are a significant morbidity after pancreaticoduodenectomy.
  • Preoperative biliary stents are suspected to increase infectious risk, but their specific impact and bacterial sensitivities are understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine if preoperative biliary stents increase postoperative infectious complications in pancreaticoduodenectomy patients.
  • To analyze biliary stent bacterial sensitivities to preoperative antibiotics and their effect on infectious complications.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective chart review of 244 pancreaticoduodenectomy patients from 2007-2018.
  • Collection and analysis of perioperative variables, including intraoperative biliary stent cultures.

Main Results:

  • Infectious complications occurred in 25% of patients with a stent vs. 19% without (P=.37).
  • 92% of cultured stents grew bacteria, with 61% resistant to preoperative antibiotics.
  • Postoperative infection rates were similar whether bacteria were resistant (17%) or susceptible (20%) to antibiotics.

Conclusions:

  • Preoperative biliary stents did not significantly increase postoperative infectious complications in this cohort.
  • Bacterial sensitivities of biliary stents to preoperative antibiotics did not appear to influence postoperative infection rates, suggesting multifactorial causes for these complications.