[Inhibition of secretion in pancreas surgery reduces postoperative complication rate: a meta analysis of 4...

We report on a meta-analysis of four randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind multicenter trials evaluating the role of perioperative octreotide treatment in the prevention of postoperative complications following elective pancreatic surgery. From a total of 963 patients (483 placebo, 480 octreotide), the postoperative complication rate (329 placebo, 206 octreotide) and the number of patients with postoperative complications (placebo 38%, octreotide 22%) were significantly higher in the placebo groups compared with the octreotide groups. Postoperative morality was comparable between the placebo (3.9%) and the octreotide (3.5%) groups. These data indicate that perioperative application of octreotide can prevent postoperative complications following pancreatic surgery.