Pancreas

Gastroenterology. 2022;163(3):712–22.e14

Onnekink AM, Boxhoorn L, Timmerhuis HC, Bac ST, Besselink MG, Boermeester MA, Bollen TL, Bosscha K, Bouwense SAW, Bruno MJ, van Brunschot S, Cappendijk VC, Consten ECJ, Dejong CH, Dijkgraaf MGW, van Eijck CHJ, Erkelens WG, van Goor H, van Grinsven J, Haveman JW, van Hooft JE, Jansen JM, van Lienden KP, Meijssen MAC, Nieuwenhuijs VB, Poley JW, Quispel R, de Ridder RJ, Römkens TEH, van Santvoort HC, Scheepers JJ, Schwartz MP, Seerden T, Spanier MBW, Straathof JWA, Timmer R, Venneman NG, Verdonk RC, Vleggaar FP, van Wanrooij RL, Witteman BJM, Fockens P, Voermans RP; Dutch Pancreatitis Study Group

Endoscopic versus surgical step-up approach for infected necrotizing pancreatitis (ExTENSION): Long-term follow-up of a randomized trial

Background and aims: Previous randomized trials, including the Transluminal Endoscopic Step-Up Approach Versus Minimally Invasive Surgical Step-Up Approach in Patients With Infected Pancreatic Necrosis (TENSION) trial, demonstrated that the endoscopic step-up approach might be preferred over the surgical step-up approach in patients with infected necrotizing pancreatitis based on favorable short-term outcomes. The authors compared long-term clinical outcomes of both step-up approaches after a period of at least 5 years.
Methods: In this long-term follow-up study, they re-evaluated all clinical data on 83 patients (of the originally 98 included patients) from the TENSION trial who were still alive after the initial 6-month follow-up. The primary end point, similar to the TENSION trial, was a composite of death and major complications. Secondary end points included individual major complications, pancreaticocutaneous fistula, reinterventions, pancreatic insufficiency, and quality of life.
Results: After a mean follow-up period of 7 years, the primary end point occurred in 27 patients (53%) in the endoscopy group and in 27 patients (57%) in the surgery group (risk ratio [RR] = 0.93; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.65–1.32; p = 0.688). Fewer pancreaticocutaneous fistulas were identified in the endoscopy group (8% vs. 34%; RR = 0.23; 95% CI: 0.08–0.83). After the initial 6-month follow-up, the endoscopy group needed fewer reinterventions than the surgery group (7% vs. 24%; RR = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.09–0.99). Pancreatic insufficiency and quality of life did not differ between groups.

Conclusions: At long-term follow-up, the endoscopic step-up approach was not superior to the surgical step-up approach in reducing death or major complications in patients with infected necrotizing pancreatitis. However, patients assigned to the endoscopic approach developed overall fewer pancreaticocutaneous fistulas and needed fewer reinterventions after the initial 6-month follow-up.

DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2022.05.015