Fish bone migration after pancreaticoduodenectomy: Incidence and treatment options

Migration of a fish bone to the bile duct or pancreatic duct is a possible complication after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). The aim of this study was to clarify the incidence and indications for intervention in such cases.

We reviewed the cases with fish bone migration after PD detected on computed tomography (CT) scan between October 2000 and October 2020 were reviewed and the incidence of fish bone migration, presence of symptoms and signs, therapeutic modalities and patient outcomes were analyzed.

Among the 1475 PD procedures performed at our institution during the study period, 14 cases of fish bone migration were noted on CT, the incidence of which was 0.95% (14/1475). The time duration from surgery to the detection of fish bone ranged from 88 to 5902 days (median 917 d). Ten patients remained asymptomatic without therapeutic intervention for up to 2919 days (median 509 d). Four patients were treated by endoscopy, either at the patient's request (n = 1) or because of their symptoms (n = 3), and removal was successful in three cases but failed in one case in which the fish bone migrated to the right intrahepatic bile duct. No surgical treatment was required in any case.

The incidence of fish bone migration on CT after PD was about 1%. Some cases resolved spontaneously, and most of the asymptomatic cases required no intervention. For symptomatic cases, endoscopic treatment should be considered first. It is important to confirm the location of the fish bone by CT and determine whether it can be removed.