Evaluation of somatostatin or octreotide efficacy in the treatment of external pancreatic fistulas

Aim of the study To evaluate the prevalence of pancreatic pseudocyst after persistent fistula closure with somatostatin or octreotide. To compare the patient characteristics according to the subsequent presence or absence of pseudocyst Patients and methods: This retrospective study from January 1994 to August 1999 included 15 patients with an external pancreatic fistula, Fistula closure was observed for all patients with somatostatin or octreotide. CT scan was performed 66 +/- 34 days after the end of this treat ment. Result: CT scan was normal in 9 patients (favorable group) and showed pancreatic pseudocyst (failure group) in 6 patients. Pancreatic fistula etiologies were different between the two groups. The 5 patients presenting pancreatic fistula after duodenopancreatectomy belonged to the favorable group. SIX Of the 10 patients presenting pancreatic fistula after pseudocyst drainage belonged to the failure group. There were no ether differences between the two groups. Conclusion: Persistent pancreatic fistula can be cared with somatostatin or octreotide. However, fistulas occurring after duodenopancreatectomy are more easily cured with somatostatin or octreotide than fistulas occurring after external pseudocyst drainage. Somatostatin or octreotide cannot be considered to be an effective treatment for pancreatic fistula occurring after pseudocyst drainage, despite the fact that 40% of them were permanently cured. (C) 2001 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.