This study seeks to evaluate the role of the somatostatin analogue Octreotide as postoperative prophylaxis in the prevention of pancreatic fistula following Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).A prospective and randomized study has been completed in 34 patients undergoing PD. Sixteen patients were randomly assigned to receive Octreotide 0.1 cc (100 mcg) three times daily subcutaneously during the first seven days of the post-operative period and the remaining 18 constituted the control group. All patients were fed parenterally until normal oral feeding was restored (mean 8 days). Fisher's exact test was used to compare complications in both groups. Pancreatic fistula was defined as the persistence of an amylase-rich discharge at least 50 ml daily during a minimum period of two weeks.The mortality rate was 3% and the morbidity 26%. No significant differences were observed regarding the total number of complications. The appearance of pancreatic fistula was considerably smaller (p = 0.03) in the Octreotide group than in control group. Postoperative hospital stay and the number of subsequent surgical interventions were significantly higher (p0.05) in the control group.Octreotide prevents the occurrence of pancreatic fistula after PD when it is administered prophylactically during the immediate postoperative period.
