A randomised controlled single blinded multicentre trial of polyethylene glycol sealant to the staple line vs staple line alone in distal pancreatectomy.

Abstract

Distal pancreatectomy is a surgical procedure commonly used to remove tumours in the body and tail of the pancreas. Postoperative pancreatic fistula formation, where fluid leaks from the remaining pancreas into the abdomen, is the most common and significant surgical complication after this surgery. This can lead to further complications such as intra-abdominal abscess, bleeding, sepsis, and delayed emptying of the stomach. Different techniques have been tried to reduce the rate of POPF. The most successful to date is the use of staples to close the cut edge of the pancreas but the rate of fistula formation continues to be clinically significant. Polyethylene glycol sealants have been successfully used in lung resection surgery to stop air leaks. This type of sealant has not been tested in pancreatic surgery. This study will examine if a polyethylene glycol sealant reduces the rate of postoperative pancreatic fistula formation when used in conjunction with stapling to seal the pancreas.