Timing for a surgically safe and oncologically prompt pancreatoduodenectomy after preoperative biliary drainage in patients with bile duct cancer

Background: Preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) is commonly performed in patients with bile duct cancer (BDC). However, data regarding the timing of pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) after PBD are insufficient. This study aimed to investigate the optimal timing for surgically and oncologically safe PD after PBD. Methods: Data of patients who underwent PD for BDC between 2018 and 2020 were reviewed. Risk factor analysis was performed to determine clinical associations of PBD with surgical and survival outcomes. Dose–response curves were plotted to indicate the effect of the time interval between PBD and PD on each outcome. Results: A total of 109 patients underwent PBD before surgery. In multivariable analysis, PD after 20 days of PBD was significantly associated with improved survival after adjusting for other risk factors (hazard ratio 0.119, 95% confidence interval 0.028–0.5000; P = 0.004). Dose–response graphs showed that rates of postoperative complications and survival were lower when PD was performed around 20 days after PBD. Conclusion: In BDC patients, the rate of postoperative complications was lower with fair survival outcomes when PD was performed around 20 days after PBD. A large-scale, prospective study is needed to investigate surgical and oncological effects of PBD in BDC patients.