Pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) may be followed by serious complications chiefly
associated with exocrine pancreatic secretion. Somatostatin and its analog
ues are able to inhibit pancreatic secretion and thus have been advocated f
or the prevention of complications following pancreatic surgery. In four pu
blished multicentric randomized trials, octreotide administration was assoc
iated with a decrease in overall complication rate. However and surprisingl
y, the benefit is less clear when focusing on complications associated with
pancreatic secretion as in pancreatic fistula or in high-risk patients (PD
and nonfibrotic pancreas), The efficiency of other somatostatin analogues
has not yet been assessed in randomized trials, In conclusion, further stud
ies would be useful before routine prophylactic administration of somatosta
tin analogues can be recommended. Copyright (C) 1999 S. Karger AG, Basel.