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Pancreas Surgery Complications

The pancreas is a gland that is located behind the stomach. The pancreas is part of the digestive system and is responsible for secreting enzymes to help in digestion and the hormone insulin, which is necessary for processing glucose (sugar) into energy. Many conditions can affect the pancreas, including pancreatitis, benign tumors and cancer. These conditions may require pancreas surgery--which can result in complications, some of which can be severe.

  1. Fistula

    • During pancreatic surgery, the pancreas might have to be either sutured closed or sutured to the intestine. In either case, this creates the potential for a fistula, which is when the pancreatic juice leaks into other parts of the body. For some patients, this will heal on its own, but others may require another operation to correct the problem.

    Infections

    • Any surgery poses a risk of infection, including bronchitis, pneumonia and urinary infections. Infection of the wound is not a normal risk in pancreas surgery, but it can happen, especially in individuals who have diabetes or have been undergoing steroid therapy.

    Bleeding

    • Blood clots are a common complication of any surgery. In the case of pancreas surgery, a blood clot may form on an artery wall near the site of the surgical connections. If this clot ruptures, it can cause severe abdominal bleeding. Depending on the severity of the bleeding, it can be treated either by transcatheter arterial embolization (a technique to stop the bleeding by inserting a coil occlusion device into the artery) or by another surgical incision.

    Gastroparesis

    • Gastroparesis is paralysis of the stomach. Post-surgery, a patient will be on an IV only for five to six days, after which she will begin a liquid-only diet as her bowel functions return to normal. However, about 25 percent of patients will not be able to tolerate any diets as the stomach remains paralyzed. These patients will have to use a feeding tube for about four to six weeks, at which time the stomach functions should return to normal.

    Digestive Issues

    • There are several other digestive issues a patient may encounter after pancreas surgery. Because the pancreas is responsible for excreting enzymes responsible for breaking down foods, the body may not be able to digest as it did before. This can result in bulky diarrhea, but the condition can be treated with oral enzyme supplementation. Many patients will also notice that their weight will decrease by 5 to 10 percent after surgery, but this should stabilize and not cause any long-term effects.

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