Gastric marginal ulcer after pancreaticoduodenectomy with pancreaticogastrostomy due to delayed gastric emptying and Helicobacter pylori infection.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Marginal ulceration and delayed gastric emptying are considerable problems after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Helicobacter pylori (HP) are well known to be associated with gastritis, gastric ulcer and gastric cancer. Thus, we studied the relationship between marginal ulceration and delayed gastric emptying in the early postoperative period after pancreaticoduodenectomy with pancreaticogastrostomy.

METHODOLOGY: We retrospectively studied 58 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy with pancreaticogastrostomy. On the basis of the grade of delayed gastric emptying, these patients were divided into 2 groups-WS group; without/with slight delayed gastric emptying and MS group; moderate/severe delayed gastric emptying.

RESULTS

Two patients (3.4%) developed postoperative marginal ulcer, these 2 patients had no HP infection; moreover, they belonged to the MS group. Five patients in the WS group were infected with HP; although, postoperative marginal ulceration did not develop in these 5 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Delayed gastric emptying might be a stronger promoting factor of postoperative marginal ulcer after pancreaticoduodenectomy with pancreaticogastrostomy rather than HP infection and prevention of delayed gastric emptying is important to reduce the occurrence rate of postoperative marginal ulcer. Our modified subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy is a useful procedure for preventing delayed gastric emptying and postoperative marginal ulcer after pancreaticoduodenectomy with pancreaticogastrostomy.