You Survived Your Whipple Operation, Now What? Long-Term Consequences of Anemia, Incisional Hernia, Osteopenia, and Pathologic Fractures.

Survivorship after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) has substantially increased over the past 3 decades and this has resulted in more patients manifesting with long-term sequelae from the surgery. PD results in notable changes to the endocrine and exocrine functions of the pancreas. Additionally, the resection of the duodenum and proximal jejunum impacts the intestinal absorption of key micronutrients resulting in iron-deficiency anemia and accelerated osteoporosis. In this article, we explore several long-term complications of PD and review potential monitoring and management strategies.