• Despoina Daskalaki, Giovanni Butturini, Enrico Molinari, Stefano Crippa, Paolo Pederzoli, and Claudio Bassi.
• Surgical and Gastroenterological Department, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
• Langenbecks Arch Surg. 2011 Jan 1; 396 (1): 91-8.

AimPostoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) has a wide range of clinical and economical implications due to the difference of the associated complications and management. The aim of this study is to verify the applicability of the International Study Group of Pancreatic Fistula (ISGPF) definition and its capability to predict hospital costs.MethodsThis is a retrospective study based on prospectively collected data of 755 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy in our institution between November 1996 and October 2006. A number of 147 patients (19.5%) have developed a POPF according to ISGPF definition.ResultsGrade A fistula, which has no clinical impact, occurred in 19% of all cases. Grade B occurred in 70.7% and was successfully managed with conservative therapy or mini-invasive procedures. Grade C (8.8%) was associated to severe clinical complications and required invasive therapy. Pulmonary complications were statistically higher in the groups B and C rather than the group A POPFs (p < 0.005; OR 8). Patients with carcinoma of the ampullary region had a higher incidence of POPF compared to ductal cancer, with a predominance of grade A (p = 0.036). Increasing fistula grades have higher hospital costs (€11,654, €25,698, and €59,492 for grades A, B, and C, respectively; p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe development of a POPF does not always determine a substantial change of the postoperative management. Clinically relevant fistulas can be treated conservatively in most cases. Higher fistula severity corresponds to increased costs. The grading system proposed by the ISGPF allows a correct stratification of the complicated patients based on the real clinical and economic impact of the POPF.

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