Indication of gastrojejunostomy in unresectable pancreatic cancer

Background: Up to 20 percent of patients with pancreatic carcinoma subjected to a bilio digestive diversion, develop a delayed gastric emptying due to duodenal infiltration. However the role of prophylactic gastrojejunoanastomosis is not well defined. Aim: To compare the effects of gastrojejunoanastomosis performed as prophylaxis or as treatment for duodenal infiltration, in patients with unresectable pancreatic carcinoma. Patients and methods: Between 1983 and 1994, 44 gastrojejunoanastomosis were performed in patients with pancreatic carcinoma. In 24 patients the procedure was done as prophylaxis and in 20 as treatment of duodenal infiltration. Of these, three had been subjected previously to a bilio digestive diversion. Postoperative outcome and mortality of both groups of patients were compared. Results: Both groups of patients had similar sex and age. Operative morbidity and mortality were 33 percent and 0 percent in the group with the prophylactic procedure and 35 and 10 percent in the group with duodenal infiltration. Oral feeding was started 6.5 and 6.9 days after operation, and hospital stay was 10.7 and 11.4 days in either group. At the moment of the analysis, 95.5 percent of patients had died. Survival was significantly longer in the group with the prophylactic procedure (337.2 and 116.9 days respectively, p