Objective To investigate the risk factors for delayed gastrointestinal hemorrhage after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).

Methods The retrospective case-control study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 173 patients who underwent PD in the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from November 2017 to May 2020 were collected. There were 107 males and 66 females, aged (61±11)years. All patients underwent PD and patients with gastrointestinal hemorrhage after surgery were treated with non-surgical or surgical treatments. Observation indicators: (1) gastrointestinal hemorrhage after PD and treatment situations; (2) influencing factors for delayed gastrointestinal hemorrhage after PD. Measurement data with normal distribution were expressed by Mean±SD, and count data were expressed by absolute numbers or percentages. Univariate analysis was performed using the chi-square test, and multivariate analysis was performed using the Logistic regression model.

Results (1) Gastrointestinal hemorrhage after PD and treatment situations: of 173 patients, 15 cases had gastrointestinal hemorrhage after PD, including 2 cases with early gastrointestinal hemorrhage and 13 cases with delayed gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Among the 13 cases with delayed gastrointestinal hemorrhage, 3 cases were mild hemorrhage, 10 cases were severe hemorrhage, 4 cases were gastric mucosal hemorrhage, 3 cases were gastric ulcer hemorrhage, 3 cases were gastrointestinal anastomotic hemorrhage, 2 cases were cholangio-jejunal anastomotic hemorrhage, 1 case was biliary arteriovenous fistula hemorrhage. Of the 13 patients with delayed gastrointestinal hemorrhage, 4 cases were treated only with conservative treatment, 4 cases were treated with interventional treatment, 3 cases were treated with endoscopic treatment and 2 cases were treated with surgical treatment. Of the 13 patients with delayed gastrointestinal hemorrhage, 12 were cured and 1 died. (2) Influencing factors for delayed gastrointestinal hemorrhage after PD: results of univariate analysis showed that albumin, total bilirubin, pancreatic fistula and history of gastric ulcer were the influencing factors for delayed gastrointestinal hemorrhage after PD (χ²=7.888, 6.555, 4.252, 6.253, P<0.05). Results of multivariate analysis showed that total bilirubin >200 μmol/ L, pancreatic fistula and history of gastric ulcer were independent risk factors for delayed gastrointestinal hemorrhage after PD (odds ratio=4.122, 4.290, 5.267, 95% confidence interval as 1.009-16.844, 1.149-16.022, 1.195-23.221, P<0.05).

Conclusion Total bilirubin >200 μmol/L, pancreatic fistula and history of gastric ulcer are independent risk factors for delayed gastrointestinal hemorrhage after PD.