Surgical techniques for modular one-stage emergent pancreaticoduodenectomy for blunt abdominal trauma: experiences from three centres and a review of the literature

Abstract Background In this study, we report the use of a complex surgical intervention termed modular one-stage emergent pancreaticoduodenectomy (MOEPD) for the treatment of acute Grade IV or V pancreaticoduodenal injuries in haemodynamically stable patients. We summarize the experiences of surgeons performing MOEPD in 12 patients from 3 centres. Methods From 2015 to 2021, the clinical data of patients with blunt abdominal trauma who underwent MOEPD were extracted from three Chinese centres. The patients’ perioperative variables were assessed. Results All twelve MOEPD cases were analysed. All patients had Grade IV or V pancreatoduodenal injuries and received intensive antishock treatment for haemodynamic stabilization. The mean age of the patients was approximately 45.2 years (22–74 years). Ten patients (83.3%) were male. In contrast to the ten patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), two patients underwent laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD). Two patients presented with a combination of severe abdominal injuries. None the patients died in the perioperative period. Five patients (41.7%) experienced postoperative complications. A postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) was detected in 16.7% of patients, both of whom recovered within 3–4 weeks with conservative drainage. All patients were released from the institutions after an average of 31.8 days (21–53 days). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of complications between the 20 reviewed studies and this group (60.7% vs. 41.7%, P = 0.33), but the mortality rate was lower in this group (26.6% vs. 0%, P = 0.04). Conclusions The experiences at these 3 centres suggest that MOEPD may be a lifesaving procedure for haemodynamically stable patients with acute Grade IV or V pancreatoduodenal injuries, despite the small sample size of this study. Clinical trial number Not applicable.