Reconstruction of the Replaced Right Hepatic Artery at the Time of Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Background  The arterial anatomy supplying the liver is highly variable. One of the most common variants is a completely replaced right hepatic artery which is seen in about 11% of the population. Interruption of arterial flow to the right hepatic artery at the time of pancreaticoduodenectomy has been associated with biliary fistula and the consequent complications, as well as stenosis of the biliary enteric anastomosis. Malignancies of the posterior aspect of the head of the pancreas can encase a replaced right hepatic artery without involvement of other vascular structures. In this situation, it is possible to resect and reconstruct the replaced right hepatic artery to maintain oxygen delivery to the biliary enteric anastomosis. Summary  Herein we describe a technique to reconstruct a replaced right hepatic artery following resection of the vessel en bloc with the tumor during a pancreaticoduodenectomy, using inflow from the gastroduodenal artery.     

Silent Celiac Disease Activated by Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Diarrhea and weight loss are common after pancreaticoduodenectomy, and arise from varying etiologies. An uncommon but important cause for these symptoms is the postoperative activation of silent celiac disease. We sought to describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of a series of patients with silent celiac disease unmasked after pancreaticoduodenectomy, and to summarize the existing case reports on this association. A search of the electronic medical record at our institution was performed cross-referencing terms associated with celiac disease and pancreaticoduodenectomy for the years 1976–2004. Cases were then reviewed to ensure that no signs or symptoms attributable to celiac disease were present preoperatively. Seven patients were identified; five were male, and the median age was 56. All patients underwent surgery for a presumed pancreatic or ampullary malignancy. Six patients developed symptoms ultimately attributable to celiac disease immediately after pancreaticoduodenectomy, most commonly diarrhea and weight loss. A single patient had silent celiac disease incidentally diagnosed at pancreaticoduodenectomy that remained silent postoperatively on an unrestricted diet. Symptoms completely resolved in 4 of 6 patients after initiation of a gluten-free diet, with partial improvement in the remaining 2 patients. The median delay from pancreaticoduodenectomy to diagnosis of celiac disease in the 6 symptomatic patients was 6 months. Clinicians should consider celiac disease as a potential diagnosis in patients with failure to thrive and diarrhea after pancreaticoduodenectomy. This entity is uncommon, but may be underrecognized. The underlying mechanism may relate to an increased antigenic load secondary to postsurgical changes in intestinal physiology.     

Safety of pancreatic surgery with special reference to antithrombotic therapy: A systematic review of the literature

BACKGROUNDPostpancreatectomy hemorrhage (PPH) is the most severe type of complication after pancreatic surgery, although the effect of antithrombotic therapy (ATT) on PPH is largely unknown. The safety and efficacy of chemical thromboprophylaxis for venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains controversial. AIMTo elucidate the effect of ATT on PPH. METHODSPublished articles between 2013 and 2020 were searched from PubMed and Google Scholar, and after careful reviewing of all studies, studies concerning ATT and pancreatic surgery were included. Data such as study design, type of surgical procedures, type of antithrombotic drugs, and surgical outcome were extracted from the studies.RESULTSNineteen published articles with a total of 37863 patients who underwent pancreatic surgery were included in the systematic review. Fourteen were cohort studies, with only three being prospective in nature. Two studies demonstrated that in patients receiving chronic ATT, which were mostly managed by heparin bridging, the risk of PPH was higher compared with those without ATT, and one study showed that patients with direct-acting oral anticoagulants managed by heparin bridging had significantly higher postoperative bleeding rates than others. The remaining six studies reported that pancreatic surgery can be safely performed in patients receiving chronic ATT, even under preoperative aspirin continuation. Concerning chemical thromboprophylaxis for VTE, most studies have shown a potentially high risk of PPH in patients undergoing chemical thromboprophylaxis; however, its effectiveness against VTE has not been statistically demonstrated, particularly among Asian patients.CONCLUSIONPancreatic surgery in chronically ATT-received patients can be safely performed without an increase in the occurrence of PPH, although the safety and efficacy of chemical thromboprophylaxis for VTE during pancreatic surgery is still controversial. Further investigation using reliable studies with good design is required to establish definite protocols or guidelines.     

Significance of mesenteric lymphadenopathy after pancreaticoduodenectomy for periampullary carcinomas: evaluation with serial MDCT studies

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the significance of mesenteric lymphadenopathy arising after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) for periampullary carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serial multidetector CT (MDCT) studies in 44 patients after PD for periampullary carcinomas (Group A) were retrospectively reviewed, the incidence and interval changes of mesenteric lymphadenopathy were evaluated, and comparisons were made with 21 patients who underwent PD for benign diseases (Group B). RESULTS: In Group A, mesenteric lymphadenopathy was seen in 31 of 44 (70.5%) patients. The short axis diameter of the largest lymph node ranged from 6.2 to 11.5mm (mean+/-S.D.: 8.6+/-1.4mm), and the short-axis-to-long-axis (S/L) ratio ranged from 0.46 to 0.99 (mean+/-S.D.: 0.69+/-0.12). Six of the 31 (19.4%) mesenteric lymphadenopathy cases showed interval increases in size on follow-up studies, and three cases showed new development of mesenteric lymphadenopathy: all of these nine cases had concurrent recurrence in the mesenteric root. In Group B, 11 (52.4%) had mesenteric lymphadenopathy. The short axis diameter of the largest lymph node ranged from 5.6 to 10.9mm (mean+/-S.D.: 8.0+/-1.9mm) and the S/L ratio ranged from 0.48 to 0.93 (mean+/-S.D.: 0.67+/-0.12). Differences in the incidence, short axis diameter and S/L ratio were not significant between Groups A and B (p=0.154, 0.271 and 0.654, respectively). CONCLUSION: Mesenetric lymphadenopathy after PD less likely reflects recurrence. Lymph node metastasis may be suggested only when coexisting recurrent mass is found in the proximal mesenteric root.     

Advanced bile duct carcinoma in a 15-year-old patient with pancreaticobiliary maljunction and congenital biliary cystic disease

We report a case of advanced bile duct carcinoma arising in a 15-year-old female with pancreaticobiliary maljunction and congenital biliary cystic disease. Pancreaticoduodenectomy and partial resection of the liver was performed. Surgical and histopathological findings indicated advanced tubular adenocarcinoma, classified as final stage IVb according to the General rules for surgical and pathological studies on cancer of the biliary tract proposed by the Japanese Society of Biliary Surgery, 5th edition, and stage IV according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC)/International Union Against Cancer (UICC), 6th edition. She underwent chemotherapy with gemcitabine HCl after discharge. She died of cachexia 14 months after the surgery. Although it is well known that biliary malignancies arise frequently in patients with pancreaticobiliary maljunction, it is uncommon for advanced bile duct carcinoma to occur in a 15-year-old female. We should pay attention to the possibility of biliary malignancy in patients with pancreaticobiliary maljunction and congenital biliary cystic disease, even when the patients are juveniles.     

Angiography is Indicated for Every Sentinel Bleed after Pancreaticoduodenectomy

Background  Delayed massive bleeding is one of the leading causes of mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and is often preceded by sentinel bleed. Immediate and accurate diagnosis of sentinel bleed is essential to save patients from a delayed massive hemorrhage. Angiography is probably the procedure of choice for patients with sentinel bleed after PD, as it will localize the bleeding point and provide interventional embolization. The purpose of this study is to test the efficiency of angiography as the initial management for patients with sentinel bleed after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Methods  The study group consisted of 283 patients who underwent PD from July 2002 to June 2007. Angiography and arterial embolization were performed for every sentinel bleed and detected pseudoaneurysm. Patients (n = 311) from a previous study (July 1996–June 2002) were used as a historical control group. Results  Sentinel bleed was detected in 20 patients in study group. Of these, angiography-detected pseudoaneurysm was evident in seven (35%); all were successfully embolized. Delayed massive hemorrhage occurred in three of 13 patients with sentinel bleed but negative angiography. All three were operated on; one died of uncontrolled bleeding. The number of hemodynamically unstable patients before transfusion, units of transfused packed cells, and bleeding related mortalities were significantly less in study group than the control group. Conclusions  Institution of angiography for every detected sentinel bleed after PD enabled us to embolize seven pseudoaneurysms before massive hemorrhage. Most importantly, bleeding-related mortality was significantly less than in the absence of angiography.     

肠系膜上血管或门静脉受压性胰头部恶性肿瘤根治性胰十二指肠切除术的技巧

目的 探讨肠系膜上血管或门静脉受压性胰头部恶性肿瘤的根治性胰十二指肠切除技巧.方法 在2005年3月至2007年3月,术前采用多排螺旋CT薄层扫描和血管重建技术评估56例肠系膜上血管或门静脉受压性胰头部恶性肿瘤患者的邻近血管是否受侵犯和肿瘤的可切除性;术中运用预置肠系膜上静脉、门静脉、脾静脉三阻断带或四阻断带(附加肠系膜下静脉),以及肠系膜上静脉与肠系膜上动脉交叉牵引下完整切除胰腺钩突部的方法,顺利地完成了56例根治性胰十二指肠切除.结果 术前判断胰腺肿瘤是否侵犯血管和可切除性的准确率分别为98%和100%.56例患者中,37例行三阻断和2例行四阻断后用5-0无创血管缝合线缝合肠系膜上静脉出血点;1例行肠系膜上静脉部分切除修补;手术时间5～8 h;出血量200～600 ml.无术中及术后大出血和胰瘘发生.随访至今,2例患者因肝脏多发性肿瘤转移,分别于术后7个月和9个月死亡.其他54例至今存活良好.结论 术前多排螺旋CT薄层扫描、血管重建技术可较准确地判断胰腺肿瘤是否侵犯血管和是否可根治性切除;采用三阻断或四阻断和肠系膜上血管交叉牵引方法可较顺利地完成肠系膜上血管或门静脉受压性胰头部恶性肿瘤的根治性胰十二指肠切除.     

胰十二指肠切除中合并肝动脉变异患者的诊治

目的 探讨肝动脉解剖变异在胰十二指肠切除术中的临床特点及处理原则.方法 回顾性研究2000年1月至2007年7月收治的176例胰十二指肠切除术患者的临床及影像学资料,探讨相关肝动脉变异的类型、影像学检查及术中处理原则.结果 经术中证实,176例患者中20例存在与胰十二指肠切除术相关的肝动脉变异,其中副肝右动脉起自肠系膜上动脉9例(5.1%),替代肝右动脉起自肠系膜上动脉5例(2.8%),肝总动脉起自肠系膜上动脉4例(2.3%),替代肝右动脉起自胃十二指肠动脉2例(1.1%).术前增强螺旋CT资料可明确诊断起源于肠系膜上动脉的变异肝动脉.20例患者中18例完整保留变异肝动脉,其中包含1例贯穿胰腺实质的变异肝总动脉;2例变异肝右动脉损伤患者积极处理后无严重不良后果.结论 术前增强螺旋CT多能准确显示肝动脉变异情况,合理的手术操作可妥善处理各种肝动脉变异.     

Presidential Address: Adjusting the Art and the Science of Surgery

Why are there so many opinions for surgical treatments? Why do surgeons not agree on the same definitions? To adjust the art and science of surgery, we should understand the reason behind this Tower of Babel and ourselves by grasping the three biological lessons of history. These lessons are instincts of man – our instincts have not changed for as long as there has been recorded history. The lessons were elucidated by Will and Ariel Durant and these are competition, selection, and reproduction. How might they be applied to improving our surgical science?First, competition has always forced individuals or small groups to strengthen themselves with cooperation. Cooperate or not survive. Cooperation increases with social development and technology. Next, we must realize that nature relishes diversity. We are all born unequal and diverse. The second biological lesson is selection; which individual among a diverse group of individuals will succeed (by improving)? Therefore, by nature, man’s instincts provide diverse opinions and bias. This creates a myopic view when surgeons try to discern the truth. The results are the trendy bandwagons that divert us, like tonsillectomy. Too much diversity is bad, and a balance is required. Man’s third lesson of history is reproduction. Better stated is that nature loves quantity. We naturally give priority to quantity over quality. To obtain quality rather than just quantity, we need the antidotes for competition and diversity – that would be cooperation using the Deming guidelines of leadership, profound knowledge, and technology. One example of this urge for quantity and diversity is our lack of standardized definitions. These three biological lessons can be summarized by viewing competition as an impediment for quality improvement in the complex challenges of modern healthcare. Cooperation (trust) is the antidote to the bandwagon effect of unproven treatments. Cooperation and technology can be joined to establish a successful team using the global technology of the internet (“Club Web”). To improve, we must measure real cases in a registry and generate a standard set of definitions and benchmarks. A focus group that trusts each other through the common interest of a disease or organ could succeed. Only then does comparison (and improvement) become possible.