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. 2010:3:179-83.
doi: 10.2147/CEG.S13984. Epub 2010 Dec 7.

The role of somatostatin in 67 consecutive pancreatectomies: a randomized clinical trial

Anastasios Katsourakis  1 , Louiza Oikonomou, Efthimios Chatzitheoklitos, George Noussios, Michael Pitiakoudis, Aleksandros Polychronidis, Konstantinos Simopoulos, Antonia Sioga
Affiliations

The role of somatostatin in 67 consecutive pancreatectomies: a randomized clinical trial

Anastasios Katsourakis et al. Clin Exp Gastroenterol. 2010.

Abstract

Background: Somatostatin has been found to be effective in the prevention of postoperative complications in pancreatic surgery. It can inhibit the pancreatic secretions that, quite often, are responsible for complications during the postoperative period.

Methods: We randomized 67 patients in 2 groups. In the study group (n = 35), somatostatin was administered 30 minutes prior to surgery as well as intraoperatively and postoperatively. No medication was given to the control group (n = 32). Biopsies were taken and processed for electron microscopy and ultrastructural morphometric analysis.

Results: Administration of somatostatin reduced the exocrine granule number, and the patients suffered from fewer postoperative complications.

Conclusions: Somatostatin reduces granule number and size of pancreatic cells, which can partially explain the prophylactic effect of the drug on early complications of pancreatic surgery, and which is confirmed by the clinical findings.

Keywords: complication; electron microscopy; histological findings; pancreatic resection; somatostatin.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Control patient. Acinar cells with very dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum (rer). Abbreviation: N, nucleus × 8000.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Control patient. Acinar cells have very dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum (rer) and granules (gr).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Exocrine acini of pancreas, with administration of somatostatin. Abbreviations: N, nucleus; m, mitochondria; rer, rough endoplasmic reticulum; gr, granules × 10,000.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Exocrine acini of pancreas, with administration of somatostatin. Abbreviation: N, nucleus × 5000.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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