Polyester Preserves the Highest Breaking Point After Prolonged Incubation in Pancreatic Juice.

BACKGROUND: The impact of suture materials on the development of pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy remains unclear. Thus, their choice among pancreatic surgeons is still mostly experience-based. Aim of the present study is to assess what is the best suture material to be used for pancreaticojejunostomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The force needed to reach the breaking point of five widely used suture materials (polypropylene, polyester, polydioxanone, silk, and polyglactin 910) has been determined through a digital precision dynamometer at baseline and after 5 and 20 days of incubation in pancreatic juice, bile, or a mixture of both. RESULTS: Regardless of the condition, polyglactin 910 has retained only 10% of its baseline force. Silk has maintained almost 90% of its initial force showing a very low baseline value of force. In pancreatic juice, polypropylene has lost less force compared to polyester (0.25 vs. 0.93 N; p = 0.03) and polydioxanone (0.25 vs. 3.67 N; p = 0.04). Polyester and polydioxanone have showed similar values of force. However, polydioxanone has lost a significant amount of force in pancreatic juice when compared to polyester (0.93 vs. 3.67 N; p = 0.03). Polyester has showed the highest value of force needed to reach the breaking point after 20 days of incubation in pancreatic juice. CONCLUSIONS: After incubation in pancreaticobiliary secretions, polyglactin 910 loses almost all its force. Polypropylene preserves its characteristic, but polydioxanone and polyester show absolute higher breaking points, with polyester retaining the highest value of force needed to reach its breaking point after incubation in pancreatic juice.

Quantitative Assessment of Pancreatic Texture Using a Durometer: A New Tool to Predict the Risk of Developing a Postoperative Fistula.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic texture is one of the key predictors of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD). Currently, the "gold standard" for assessment of pancreatic texture is surgeon's subjective evaluation through manual palpation. AIM: To evaluate a new "durometer" that is able to assess quantitatively the pancreatic stiffness by measuring its elastic module (i.e., the resistance offered by the pancreatic stump when elastically deformed expressed in mPa). METHODS: Measurements were obtained from the pancreatic remnant during 138 consecutive PDs performed at the Department of General and Pancreatic Surgery-The Pancreas Institute, University of Verona Hospital Trust. Values were correlated to clinical features and, in particular, with the senior surgeon's evaluation of pancreatic texture (hard/soft). Sixteen beating-heart donors were used as a control group to assess the stiffness of a non-pathologic pancreas. Univariate analysis was performed for the assessment of POPF predictors. RESULTS: Durometry allowed segregating between non-pathologic, soft and hard pancreas according to surgeon's evaluation (mean values 111 vs. 196 vs. 366 mPa, p < 0.01). There were no significant differences in stiffness with regard to histology, BMI, and neoadjuvant therapy. Larger tumors (>20 mm) and male sex were associated with greater stiffness on univariate analysis. Pancreatic texture, pancreatic duct size, BMI, prior neoadjuvant therapy, and histology were predictors of POPF. Patients who developed POPF showed a lesser stiffness (178 vs. 261 mPa, p = 0.05). CONCLUSION: Assessment of pancreatic stiffness using a durometer correlated with the surgeon's evaluation of pancreatic texture. Measurement of pancreatic parenchymal stiffness is reliable and correlates with the development of POPF.