Impact of preoperative biliary drainage on postoperative outcome after pancreaticoduodenectomy: An analysis of 1500 consecutive cases.

Preoperative biliary drain does not increase major complications and mortality rates after pancreatoduodenectomy, but it is associated with higher surgical site infection rates. In jaundiced patients, a bilirubin value greater than 7.5 mg/dL (128 μmol/L) should indicate biliary drainage.