Vein Involvement During Pancreaticoduodenectomy: Is There a Need for Redefinition of “Borderline Resectable Disease”?

Introduction

Current National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend neoadjuvant therapy for borderline resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma to increase the likelihood of achieving R0 resection. A consensus has not been reached on the degree of venous involvement that constitutes borderline resectability. This study compares the outcome of patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy with or without vein resection without neoadjuvant therapy.

Methods

A multi-institutional database of patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy was reviewed. Patients who required vein resection due to gross vein involvement by tumor were compared to those without evidence of vein involvement.

Results

Of 492 patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy, 70 (14 %) had vein resection and 422 (86 %) did not. There was no difference in R0 resection (66 vs. 75 %, p?=?NS). On multivariate analysis, vein involvement was not predictive of disease-free or overall survival.

Conclusion

This is the largest modern series examining patients with or without isolated vein involvement by pancreas cancer, none of whom received neoadjuvant therapy. Oncological outcome was not different between the two groups. These data suggest that up-front surgical resection is an appropriate option and call into question the inclusion of isolated vein involvement in the definition of “borderline resectable disease.”     

Benign cecal ulcers

Benign ulceration of the cecum is an uncommon lesion. Most cases are diagnosed intraoperatively and most authors have advocated right hemicolectomy due to the difficulty in differentiating benign from malignant lesions. Recently colonoscopic diagnosis and conservative treatment have been reported. We describe six cases of cecal ulcer ranging from asymptomatic lesions diagnosed at colonoscopy and healing with conservative management to perforated ulcers with intra-abdominal abscesses requiring right hemicolectomy. A selective approach to patient management is advocated, including stapler wedge cecectomy with frozen section diagnosis to avoid extensive bowel resection and retain the ileocecal valve.     

Nonfunctioning adrenal cortical carcinoma with skeletal muscle metastasis: Case report and imaging at limited resource center

Adrenal cortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare, aggressive endocrine malignancy with a reported incidence of 1.0-2.0 cases per million population and a poor prognosis due to metastatic spread. About 25% of cases of ACC present with metastases at the time of diagnosis. Metastatic spread of ACC commonly involves lungs, liver, kidney, peritoneum, lymph nodes, venous extension to the renal vein or inferior vena cava and bone. We report a case of a 47-year-old male with a nonfunctioning ACC with metastases to skeletal muscle (subscapularis, paraspinal, iliacus and gluteus maximus muscle) in addition to metastasis to the lung, which was not reported in the literature. Unfortunately, the patient expired prior to the surgery due to respiratory distress.     

External stenting of pancreaticojejunostomy anastomosis and pancreatic duct after pancreaticoduodenectomy

Pancreatic fistula is a major cause of morbidity and mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy. External drainage of pancreaticojejunostomy anastomosis with a stent is used to reduce the rate of pancreatic fistula. This study compares the rates of pancreatic fistula between external stent drainage versus no-stent drainage for pancreaticojejunal anastomosis following pancreaticoduodenectomy. A total of 53 patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy for various benign and malignant pathologies were included in the study. An external stent was inserted across the anastomosis to drain the pancreatic duct in 26 patients and 27 patients received no stent. The primary end point was pancreatic fistula. All surgeries were done by a single surgeon with expertise in hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery at a single institute. The two groups were comparable in demographic data, underlying pathologies, presenting complaints, presence of comorbid illnesses and proportion of patients with preoperative biliary drainage, pancreatic consistency and duct diameter. The pancreatic fistula rates were similar in both the groups (11.5 vs. 14.8?%, P?=?0.725). The morbidity and surgical re-exploration rate were statistically not significant between the two groups (65.4 vs. 51.9?%, P?=?0.318 and 11.5 vs. 7.4?%, P?=?0.60). Postoperative stay was also similar with a mean of 14?days in both the groups (P?=?0.66). The mortality rate was statistically not significant in the two groups (3.8 vs. 7.4?%, P?=?0.575). External drainage of pancreaticojejunostomy anastomosis and the pancreatic duct with a stent does not decrease the rate of postoperative pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy.     

Stercolith perforation

A 62-year-old diabetic bed ridden woman, presented to the emergency department with symptoms suggestive of peritonitis. She had been taking oral laxatives and enemas to relieve her chronic constipation for last 6 years. Hard impacted stools and pelvic tenderness were found on digital rectal examination. Her X-ray abdomen showed soft tissue shadows in the colon but there was no gas under the diaphragm on chest X-ray. Sonography found free fluid in pelvis. She was resuscitated, and her hyperglycemia was controlled by use of regular insulin as per sliding scale. Operative findings revealed free fluid in pelvis and very hard faecalomas lying free in peritoneal cavity. There was a 2 x 3 cm perforation at the anterior wall of the recto-sigmoid junction. Peritoneal toilet was carried out followed by Hartmann's procedure. Histopathology of perforation side showed no evidence of malignancy.     

Increased biliary fistulas after liver resection with the harmonic scalpel

The Harmonic Scalpel (HS) is frequently used for hepatic resection. Yet, no current study addresses its utility compared to conventional methods. We reviewed our experience with this device to determine if it decreased perioperative complications when compared to the traditional clamp crushing technique. One hundred forty-nine anatomic hepatic resections were performed at our institution from September 1992 to February 2002. Patients were divided into two groups based on the technique of resection: HS [53% (n = 79)] versus clamp crushing [47% (n = 70)]. Use of the HS was associated with a shorter mean operative time (357 +/- 15.0 vs. 404 +/- 19.1 min; p = 0.05) and a trend toward decreased blood loss (1211 +/- 125.5 vs. 1411 +/- 180.7 mL; P = NS) and transfusion requirements (2.6 +/- 0.5 vs. 1.7 +/- 0.3 units; P = 0.10). However, use of the HS was associated with a significant increase in biliary fistulas [24% (n = 19) vs. 7% (n = 5); P = 0.01]. Use of the Harmonic Scalpel was associated with decreased operative time and a trend toward decreased blood loss and transfusion requirements. Its use was also associated with a significant increase in the incidence of postoperative bile leaks, and, therefore, surgeons must be vigilant during liver parenchymal transection when using this device.     

Mammary tuberculosis: analysis of thirty-eight patients

Thirty-eight patients with mammary gland tuberculosis were evaluated over a 5-year period presenting to the surgical unit of our institution. Unilateral involvement of the breast in a woman presenting at an average age of 29 years was the commonest observation. A lump in the breast with or without discharging sinuses was the most common clinical presentation. Ten (26%) of these patients had breast pain with or without increased breast nodularity. Axillary lymph nodal involvement was evident in 14 (36%) of our patients. Only five patients had associated pulmonary tuberculosis, the rest having an isolated involvement of the breast. Fine-needle aspiration cytology was the most reliable diagnostic modality. Medical therapy with antitubercular drugs ranging from 6 to 9 months was the mainstay of treatment. Surgical intervention was reserved for selected refractory cases.