The Impact of Preoperative Biliary Drainage on Postoperative Outcomes of Patients with Malignant Obstructive Jaundice: A Retrospective Analysis of 290 Consecutive Cases at a Single Medical Center

Abstract BackgroundThe efficacy of preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) has been debated for several decades, and indications for PBD are still a controversial topic. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of PBD among patients with malignant obstructive jaundice in current clinical settings.MethodsAll consecutive patients with malignant obstructive jaundice who underwent radical resection from June 2017 to December 2019 at Zhongshan Hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The study population was divided into two groups: a PBD group (PG) and direct surgery group (DG). Subgroups were chosen by site of obstruction. Perioperative indicators and postoperative complications were compared and analyzed.ResultsA total of 290 patients were analyzed. Postoperative complications occurred in 134 patients (overall rate: 46.4%). Patients in group PG had a lower overall rate of postoperative complications as compared to group DG, with perioperative total bilirubin (TB) identified as an independent risk factor in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio = 1.004; 95% confidence interval 1.001–1.007; P = 0.017). Subgroup analysis showed that PBD reduced the complication rate in patients with proximal obstruction. In the proximal-obstruction subgroup, a preoperative TB level >162 μmol/L predicted postoperative complications.ConclusionsPBD may reduce the overall rate of postoperative complications among patients with proximal malignant obstructive jaundice.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov, 2018ZSLC 24. Registered May 17, 2018, https://clinicaltrials.gov/.