A Simple Algorithm for Drain Management after Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Pancreatic fistula (PF) continues to be the Achilles’ heel of pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) with both morbidity and mortality linked to its occurrence. The optimal drain management strategy after PD remains unclear. We evaluated drain amylase (DA) levels on postoperative Day (POD) 0 to 5 in 76 consecutive patients undergoing PD to determine the patterns associated with PF. Of these 76 patients, eight patients (11%) developed Grade A, B, or C PF...