What are the risks of the Whipple procedure?
A. A pancreaticoduodenectomy is a major operation. About one-third of patients may have a complication from the operation. Complications can be major or minor and can include: bleeding, infection, leakage from your connections, clots, pneumonia and heart attacks. Your surgeon can manage most of these problems without having to perform another operation. Having a complication will likely delay your discharge from the hospital and may alter your recovery. Nearly all patients survive the procedure.
