Preoperative endoscopic ultrasound-guided biopsy for resectable pancreatic head tumors increases operative time but not complications: a single center cohort study.

Background: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided aspiration or biopsy allows preoperative confirmation of malignancy but is not necessary for resectable pancreatic cancer. Preoperative biopsy may induce pancreatitis, making surgery difficult and complex. Therefore, the authors performed a retrospective study to evaluate the association between preoperative endoscopic ultrasound-guided biopsy and surgical outcomes in patients with resectable pancreatic head tumors.

Materials And Methods: A prospectively enrolled cohort from a single high-volume pancreatic center was analyzed. Between 2007 and 2019, a total of 518 patients with resectable pancreatic head tumors underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy. This analysis was performed to determine the association of preoperative endoscopic ultrasound-guided biopsy with operating time and major complications.

Results: In 518 patients who received pancreaticoduodenectomy, 164 patients (31.6%) underwent preoperative endoscopic ultrasound-guided biopsy. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biopsy increased surgical time (46.9 min, 95% CI: 25.1-68.8, P -value <0.05) without increasing complications (odds ratio: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.31-1.29, P -value=0.29).

Conclusion: Preoperative endoscopic ultrasound-guided biopsy for pancreatic head tumors may increase operative time but is not associated with an increased risk of mortality and complications.