Postoperative recovery after pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy versus conventional Whipple operation: an analysis of 112 consecutive cases

Objective To analyze the postoperative recovery after pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD) versus conventional Whipple operation. Methods The postoperative recovery was compared between 49 patients receiving PPPD and 63 undergoing Whipple operation from 1998 to 2001. Results Operative duration, postoperative hospital stay, incidence of complications were lower but gastric suction time and delayed gastric emptying occurrence were higher in patients receiving PPPD than in those undergoing Whipple operation. The patients with the history of abdominal operation and those with intraabdominal complications showed a higher incidence of delayed gastric emptying (35 5%:11 1%, 46 2%:9 3%, P0 05). Conclusions PPPD is a safe surgical procedure and the pylorus preservation does not influence the incidence of delayed gastric emptying and the postoperative recovery.