Pylorus-Resecting Pancreaticoduodenectomy Offers Long-Term Outcomes Similar to Those of Pylorus-Preserving Pancreaticoduodenectomy: Results of a Prospective Study

Impact of Straight Stomach Reconstruction on Delayed Gastric Emptying and Nutritional Recovery After Pancreaticoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a modified reconstruction technique-anchored straight stomach reconstruction-in reducing the incidence of delayed gastric emptying (DGE) after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and its impact on postoperative nutritional recovery.

METHODS

A case series analysis of 125 consecutive PD patients was conducted: 104 of them had undergone anchored straight stomach reconstruction (SSR group) and the remaining 21 without (Non-SSR group). The incidence of DGE and the change in postoperative nutritional status (body weight and serum albumin level during 12 months post-surgery) were compared.

RESULTS

The incidence of DGE in the SSR group (13%) was significantly lower than that in the Non-SSR group (33%) (P = .018); further the significant DGE (grade B or C) was only 5%. Comparison of nutritional status showed that SSR facilitated a prompt recovery of body weight and serum albumin level at 6 months after PD. At 12 months after surgery, body weight gain was significantly better in the SSR group than in the Non-SSR group (P = .006), and albumin level tended to be higher in the SSR group (P = .071).

CONCLUSION

Straight stomach reconstruction is able to reduce DGE in patients after PD and also improves their postoperative nutritional recovery.

Surgical techniques to prevent delayed gastric emptying after pancreaticoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND

Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) is one of the most common complications after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). DGE represents impaired gastric motility without significant mechanical obstruction and is associated with an increased length of hospital stay, increased healthcare costs, and a high readmission rate. We reviewed published studies on various technical modifications to reduce the incidence of DGE.

DATA SOURCES

Studies were identified by searching PubMed for relevant articles published up to December 2022. The following search terms were used: "pancreaticoduodenectomy", "pancreaticojejunostomy", "pancreaticogastrostomy", "gastric emptying", "gastroparesis" and "postoperative complications". The search was limited to English publications. Additional articles were identified by a manual search of references from key articles.

RESULTS

In recent years, various surgical procedures and techniques have been explored to reduce the incidence of DGE. Pyloric resection, Billroth II reconstruction, Braun's enteroenterostomy, and antecolic reconstruction may be associated with a decreased incidence of DGE, but more high-powered studies are needed in the future. Neither laparoscopic nor robotic surgery has demonstrated superiority in preventing DGE, and the use of staplers is controversial regarding whether they can reduce the incidence of DGE.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite many innovations in surgical techniques, there is no surgical procedure that is superior to others to reduce DGE. Further larger prospective randomized studies are needed.

Delayed gastric emptying after aggressive surgery for retroperitoneal sarcoma - Incidence, characteristics, and risk factors

Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) after aggressive resection of retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) has rarely been described. This study aimed to determine the incidence and characteristics of DGE after surgery for RPS and explore its potential risk factors. Patients with RPS who had undergone surgery between January 2010 and February 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. DGE was defined and graded according to the International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery classification and classified as primary or secondary to other complications. Patients with clinically relevant DGE (crDGE, grade B+C) were compared to those with no or mild DGE (grade A). Multivariate logistic regression analysis of clinicopathological and surgical parameters was performed to identify risk factors for crDGE. Of the 239 patients studied, 69 (28.9%) had experienced DGE and 54 (22.6%) had experienced crDGE. Patients with primary and secondary DGE accounted approximately half and half. The most common concurrent complications included abdominal infection, postoperative pancreatic fistula, and abdominal bleeding. Patients with crDGE were more likely to have multifocal tumors and the liposarcoma subtype, with a larger tumor size, longer operating time, more resected organs, and a history of combined resection of the stomach, pancreas, small intestine, and/or colon. In multivariate analysis, the tumor size, operating time, and combined pancreatic resection were independent risk factors for crDGE. In conclusion, the current results indicated that approximately one-fourth of patients experienced DGE after aggressive surgery for RPS and that DGE was primary or secondary to other underlying conditions. A large tumor involving long, difficult surgery and combined pancreatic resection highly predicted the incidence of crDGE. The prevention and management of DGE remain challenging.

Delayed Gastric Emptying and Gastric Remnant Function After Pancreaticoduodenectomy: A Systematic Review of Objective Assessment Modalities

BACKGROUND

Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) is a frequent complication after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). The diagnosis of DGE is based on International Study Group for Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS) clinical criteria and objective assessments of DGE are infrequently used. The present literature review aimed to identify objective measures of DGE following PD and determine whether these measures correlate with the clinical definition of DGE.

METHODS

A systematic search was performed using the MEDLINE Ovid, EMBASE, Google Scholar and CINAHL databases for studies including pancreatic surgery, delayed gastric emptying and gastric motility until June 2022. The primary outcome was modalities undertaken for the objective measurement of DGE following PD and correlation between objective measurements and clinical diagnosis of DGE. Relevant risk of bias analysis was performed.

RESULTS

The search revealed 4881 records, of which 46 studies were included in the final analysis. There were four objective modalities of DGE assessment including gastric scintigraphy (n = 28), acetaminophen/paracetamol absorption test (n = 10), fluoroscopy (n = 6) and the ¹³C-acetate breath test (n = 3). Protocols were inconsistent, and reported correlations between clinical and objective measures of DGE were variable; however, amongst these measures, at least one study directly or indirectly inferred a correlation, with the greatest evidence accumulated for gastric scintigraphy.

CONCLUSION

Several objective modalities to assess DGE following PD have been identified and evaluated, however are infrequently used. Substantial variability exists in the literature regarding indications and interpretation of these tests, and there is a need for a real-time objective modality which correlates with ISGPS DGE definition after PD.

Pylorus-preserving versus Pylorus-resecting: Impact on dynamic changes of nutrition and body composition in pancreatic cancer patients before and after pancreatoduodenectomy

OBJECTIVES

To investigate if different methods of pancreatoduodenectomy (with or without pyloric preservation) would have different impacts on postoperative nutrition and body composition changes among pancreatic cancer patients.

METHODS

Demographic and clinicopathological data, perioperative data were collected, body composition (e.g. skeletal muscle cross-sectional area [CSA], visceral fat area [VFA]) were evaluated with abdominal CT before and after surgery. Sarcopenia patients' proportion changes were also recorded.

RESULTS

The hospital stay in the PRPD group was significantly less than that in the PPPD group (p < 0.05). A significant difference was found in CSA, skeletal muscle index (SMI), VFA, VFA/CSA and albumin (ALB) in both groups between preoperative, 3, and 12 months after surgery. The loss of visceral fat in the PRPD group was more prominent than that in the PPPD group at 3 months and 12 months after surgery (p < 0.05). VFA/CSA was higher in the PPPD group than in the PRPD group (3 months: p < 0.05, 12 months: p < 0.001). The proportion of sarcopenic patients increased significantly over time in the PPPD and PRPD groups (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative CSA and VFA continued to significantly decrease in both PPPD and PRPD groups, while the incidence of sarcopenia continued to increase. Compared with PRPD, PPPD has a protective effect on visceral fat. PPPD may contribute to better maintaining visceral fat mass and blood ALB levels. CT quantification can be an objective and effective method to evaluate the nutritional status of pancreatic cancer patients during the pre- and postoperative period and can provide a useful objective basis for guiding clinical treatment.

Delayed gastric emptying after classical Whipple or pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy: a randomized clinical trial (QUANUPAD)

PURPOSE

Pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy (PPPD) has been the gold standard for pancreatic head lesion resection for several years. Some studies have noted that it involves more delayed gastric emptying (DGE) than classical Whipple (i.e., pancreatoduodenectomy with antrectomy). Our working hypothesis was that the classical Whipple has a lower incidence of DGE. We aimed to compare the incidence of DGE among pancreatoduodenectomy techniques.

METHODS

This pragmatic, randomized, open-label, single-center clinical trial involved patients who underwent classical Whipple (study group) or PPPD (control group). Gastric emptying was clinically evaluated using scintigraphy. DGE was defined according to the International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS) criteria. The secondary endpoints were postoperative morbidity, length of hospital stay, anthropometric measurements, and nutritional status.

RESULTS

A total of 84 patients were randomized (42 per group). DGE incidence was 50% (20/40, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 35-65%) in the study group and 62% (24/39, 95% CI: 46-75%) in the control group (p = 0.260). No differences were observed between both groups regarding postoperative morbidity or length of hospital stay. Anthropometric measurements at 6 months post-surgery: triceps fold measurements were 12 mm and 16 mm (p = 0.021). At 5 weeks post-surgery, triceps fold measurements were 13 mm and 16 mm (p = 0.020) and upper arm circumferences were 26 cm and 28 cm (p = 0.030). No significant differences were observed in nutritional status.

CONCLUSION

DGE incidence and severity did not differ between classical Whipple and PPPD. Some anthropometric measurements may indicate a better recovery with PPPD.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03984734.

Korean Surgical Practice Guideline for Pancreatic Cancer 2021: A summary of evidence-based surgical approaches

Pancreatic cancer is the eighth most common cancer and the fifth most common cause of cancer-related deaths in Korea. Despite the increasing incidence and high mortality rate of pancreatic cancer, there are no appropriate surgical practice guidelines for the current domestic medical situation. To enable standardization of management and facilitate improvements in surgical outcome, a total of 10 pancreatic surgical experts who are members of Korean Association of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery have developed new recommendations that integrate the most up-to-date, evidence-based research findings and expert opinions. This is an English version of the Korean Surgical Practice Guideline for Pancreatic Cancer 2021. This guideline includes 13 surgical questions and 15 statements. Due to the lack of high-level evidence, strong recommendation is almost impossible. However, we believe that this guideline will help surgeons understand the current status of evidence and suggest what to investigate further to establish more solid recommendations in the future.

Validation of data quality in a nationwide gastroenterological surgical database: The National Clinical Database site-visit and remote audits, 2016-2018

BACKGROUND AND AIM

In 2015, the Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery (JSGS) initiated data verification in the gastroenterological section of the National Clinical Database (NCD) and reported high accuracy of data entry. Remote audits were introduced for data validation on a trial basis in 2016 and formally accepted into use in 2017-2018. The aim of this study was to audit the data quality of the NCD gastroenterological section for 2016-2018 and to confirm the high accuracy of data in remote audits.

METHODS

Each year, 45-46 hospitals were selected for audit. Twenty cases were randomly selected in each hospital, and the accuracy of patient demographic and surgical outcome data (46 items) was compared with the corresponding medical records obtained by visiting the hospital (site-visit audit) or by mailing data from the hospital to the JSGS office (remote audit).

RESULTS

A total of 136 hospitals were included, of which 88 (64.7%) had a remote audit, and 124 936 items were evaluated with an overall data accuracy of 98.1%. There was no significant difference in terms of data accuracy between site-visit audit and remote audit. Accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of mortality were 99.7%, 89.7%, 100% for site-visit audits and 99.8%, 97.3%, 100% for remote audits, respectively. Mean time spent on data verification per case of remote audits was shorter than that of site-visit audits (10.0 minutes vs 13.7 minutes, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

The audits showed that NCD data are reliable and characterized by high accuracy. Remote audits may substitute site-visit audits.

The 1-year outcomes after pancreaticogastrostomy using vertical versus horizontal mattress suturing for gastric wrapping

PURPOSE

To investigate the differences in nutritional status 1 year after pancreaticogastrostomy (PG) using vertical suturing (VS) vs. twin square horizontal mattress (HMS) suturing in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).

METHODS

The subjects of this study were 134 patients who underwent PD, followed by PG, which was closed by VS in 52 and by HMS in 82. We evaluated the peri- and postoperative factors, nutritional parameters, diameter of the remnant main pancreatic duct, and glucose intolerance 1 year postoperatively.

RESULTS

Forty-five (87%) patients from the VS group and 75 (91%) patients from the HMS group survived for more than 1 year. The incidences of intraabdominal abscess and pancreatic fistula were significantly lower in the HMS group than in the VS group (19.2% vs. 6.6% and19.2% vs. 2.6%, respectively). There were no significant changes in the total protein, serum albumin, and HbA1c levels 1 year postoperatively. The postoperative expansion ratio of the main pancreatic duct diameter was significantly smaller in the HMS group than in the VS group. The strongest risk factor for body weight loss 1 year postoperatively was a non-soft pancreas texture.

CONCLUSION

HMS was superior to VS for preventing early postoperative complications and did not affect pancreatic function.

Delayed gastric emptying after pancreaticoduodenectomy: A study of the national surgical quality improvement program

BACKGROUND

Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) remains common after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Risk factors for DGE have been difficult to identify due to a lack of a standard definition. The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with DGE using a standard definition across a national cohort of patients.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent PD from 2014 to 2016 within the ACS-NSQIP pancreatectomy-specific module was performed. Multivariable (MV) regression was used to determine perioperative risk factors for DGE.

RESULTS

Of 10,249 patients undergoing PD, 16.6% developed DGE and were older (65.3 vs. 64.3 years), more often male (62.5% vs. 51.9%), overweight/obese (66.7% vs. 61.3%), and American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) class 3 (80.0% vs. 76.0%). Rates of pylorus preservation (41.4% vs. 38.7%) were higher, and median operative time (373 vs. 354 min) longer. On MV analysis, age≥65 years [OR 1.26 (95%CI 1.13-1.41)], male sex [OR 1.54 (95%CI 1.38-1.72), body mass index (BMI) > 30 [OR 1.22 (95%CI 1.06-1.40)], ASA class≥3 [OR 1.24 (95%CI 1.08-1.42)], pylorus preservation [OR 1.08 (95%CI 1.02-1.14)], and longer operative time [OR 1.26 (95%CI 1.13-1.40)] remained associated with DGE. Preoperative chemotherapy was associated with decreased risk of DGE [OR 0.77 (95%CI 0.64-0.93)].

CONCLUSION

In this national, multicenter cohort of patients undergoing PD, 16.6% of patients developed DGE based on a standardized definition. Perioperative factors including age, BMI, ASA class, pylorus preservation, and operative time were associated with increased risk of DGE. Further research is warranted to identify opportunities for prevention via preoperative rehabilitation strategies and treatment.

Randomized Trial of Pylorus-Preserving vs. Pylorus-Resecting Pancreatoduodenectomy: Long-Term Morbidity and Quality of Life

BACKGROUND

The randomized controlled PROPP trial (DKRS00004191) showed that pylorus-resecting pancreatoduodenectomy (PR) is not superior to the pylorus-preserving procedure (PP) in terms of perioperative outcome, specifically in reduction of delayed gastric emptying. Non-superiority of PR was also confirmed in a recent meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. However, long-term data on morbidity and quality of life after PP compared to PR are sparse. The aim of this study was to investigate long-term outcomes of patients included in the PROPP trial.

METHODS

Between February 2013 and June 2016, a total of 188 patients underwent PD and were intraoperatively randomized to either preservation or resection of the pylorus (95 vs. 93 patients). For long-term follow-up, morbidity and quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30/PAN26) were monitored until January 1, 2018. Statistical analysis was performed on an intention-to-treat basis.

RESULTS

The mean duration of follow-up was 34.3 (± 11.3) months. Sixty-three of the 188 patients had died (PP n = 33, PR n = 30), 29 patients were lost to follow-up (PP n = 17, PR n = 12), and the remaining 96 patients were included in long-term follow-up (PP n = 45, PR n = 51). There was no difference between PP and PR patients regarding endocrine and exocrine pancreatic function, receipt of adjuvant/palliative chemotherapy, cancer recurrence, and other relevant characteristics. Late cholangitis occurred significantly more often in patients following pylorus resection (P = 0.042). Reoperations, readmissions to hospital, and quality of life scores except pain were comparable between the two study groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Similar to short-term results, long-term follow-up showed no significant differences between pylorus resection compared to pylorus preservation.

Antecolic reconstruction is associated with a lower incidence of delayed gastric emptying compared to retrocolic technique after Whipple or pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND

The aim of present study is to investigate the relationship between the antecolic (AC) route of gastrojejunostomy (GJ) after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) or duodenojejunostomy (DJ) reconstruction after pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD), and the incidence of delayed gastric emptying (DGE).

METHODS

An electronic search of 4 databases to identify all articles comparing AC and retrocolic (RC) reconstruction after PD or PPPD was performed.

RESULTS

Fifteen studies involving 2270 patients were included for final pooled analysis. The overall incidence of DGE was 27.2%. Meta-analysis results showed AC group had lower incidence of DGE (odds ratio, 0.29; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.16-0.52, P < .0001) and shorter hospital length of stay (weight mean difference, -3.29; 95% CI, -5.2 to -1.39, P = .0007). Days until to liquid and solid diet in the AC group were also significantly earlier than that in the RC group (P = .0006 and P < .0001). There was no difference in operative time, incidence of pancreatic fistula and bile leakage, and mortality, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

AC route of GJ after PD or DJ after PPPD is associated with a lower incidence of DGE. However, the preferred route for GJ or DJ reconstruction remains to be investigated in well-powered, randomized, controlled trial.

Meta-analysis of delayed gastric emptying after pylorus-preserving versus pylorus-resecting pancreatoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND

Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) is a frequent complication after pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy. Recent studies have suggested that resection of the pylorus is associated with decreased rates of DGE. However, superiority of pylorus-resecting pancreatoduodenectomy was not shown in a recent RCT. This meta-analysis summarized evidence of the effectiveness and safety of pylorus-preserving compared with pylorus-resecting pancreatoduodenectomy.

METHODS

RCTs and non-randomized studies comparing outcomes of pylorus-preserving and pylorus-resecting pancreatoduodenectomy were searched systematically in MEDLINE, Web of Science and CENTRAL. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed and the results presented as weighted odds ratios (ORs) or mean differences with their corresponding 95 per cent confidence intervals. Subgroup analyses were performed to account for interstudy heterogeneity between RCTs and non-randomized studies.

RESULTS

Three RCTs and eight non-randomized studies with a total of 992 patients were included. Quantitative synthesis across all studies showed superiority for pylorus-resecting pancreatoduodenectomy regarding DGE (OR 2·71, 95 per cent c.i. 1·48 to 4·96; P = 0·001) and length of hospital stay (mean difference 3·26 (95 per cent c.i. -1·04 to 5·48) days; P = 0·004). Subgroup analyses including only RCTs showed no significant statistical differences between the two procedures regarding DGE, and for all other effectiveness and safety measures.

CONCLUSION

Pylorus-resecting pancreatoduodenectomy is not superior to pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy for reducing DGE or other relevant complications.

Pylorus preservation pancreatectomy or not

Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is the treatment of choice for various benign and malignant tumors of the pancreatic head or the periampullary region, and the only hope for cure in patients with cancer at this side. While it has been associated with high morbidity and mortality rates in the last century, its centralization in specialized institutions together with refinements in the operative technique and better management of postoperative complications have made PD a standardized, safe procedure. Besides the classic Whipple procedure including distal gastrectomy, two variations of PD with or without pylorus resection, but preservation of the entire stomach in either procedure exist today. Pylorus-preserving PD has gained wide acceptance as standard procedure and is being performed by an increasing number of pancreatic surgeons. After its oncological adequacy was questioned initially, pylorus-preserving PD was shown to be equivalent to the classic Whipple procedure regarding tumor recurrence and long-term survival. Moreover, operation time and blood loss were shown to be reduced in the pylorus-preserving procedure and benefits in nutritional status and quality of life were observed. However, preservation of the pylorus has been suggested to result in an increased incidence of postoperative delayed gastric emptying (DGE). In this context, pylorus-resecting PD has become popular especially in Japan with the aim to prevent DGE by removal of the pylorus but preservation of the stomach. In contrast to positive results from early studies, latest high-quality randomized controlled trial (RCT) data show that pylorus resection does not reduce DGE compared to the pylorus-preserving operation. Non-superiority of pylorus resection was also confirmed in current meta-analysis on this topic. This article summarizes the existing evidence on PD with or without pylorus preservation and derives recommendations for daily practice.

Quality of life and impact of bile reflux after retro colic retro gastric gastrojejunostomy in Whipple surgery

BACKGROUND

Delayed gastric emptying and bile reflux are common concerns in long-term survivors after Whipple surgery. The study was designed to assess modified retro colic retro gastric gastrojejunostomy in reducing macro and microscopic bile reflux and impact on dyspepsia related quality of life in long-term survivors.

METHODS

Out of 43 patients operated, 23 long-term survivors were included. All underwent gastroscopy and bile reflux was grouped as normal, yellowish bile lakes and presence of greenish bile lakes. Six standard gastric biopsies were taken. Microscopic bile reflux index (BRI) was calculated and a score more than 14 was considered significant. Validated Nepean dyspepsia index-short form (NDI-SF) was used to assess the severity of dyspepsia-related quality of life and compared with age and gender-matched control.

RESULTS

The median age was 48 (21-70) years. Median survival of the group was 37 months (6-40). Endoscopically, 20/23 (87%) had macroscopic bile reflux (74% yellowish bile lakes, 13% greenish bile lakes). None had stomal ulcers or macroscopic inflammation. Mean bile reflux index score was 9.7 (range 1.77-34). Mean NDI-SF score of Whipple group was 23.1 (SD 8.88). In controls, mean score was 19.9 (SD 8.23), showing no significant difference (p = 0.245).

CONCLUSIONS

Though there was macroscopic bile reflux, clinical symptoms and microscopic changes were minimal. The modified technique had good long-term results.

Preoperative defining system for pancreatic head cancer considering surgical resection

AIM

To provide appropriate treatment, it is crucial to share the clinical status of pancreas head cancer among multidisciplinary treatment members.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of the medical records of 113 patients who underwent surgery for pancreas head cancer from January 2008 to December 2012 was performed. We developed preoperative defining system of pancreatic head cancer by describing "resectability - tumor location - vascular relationship - adjacent organ involvement - preoperative CA19-9 (initial bilirubin level) - vascular anomaly". The oncologic correlations with this reporting system were evaluated.

RESULTS

Among 113 patients, there were 75 patients (66.4%) with resectable, 34 patients (30.1%) with borderline resectable, and 4 patients (3.5%) with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Mean disease-free survival was 24.8 mo (95%CI: 19.6-30.1) with a 5-year disease-free survival rate of 13.5%. Pretreatment tumor size ≥ 2.4 cm [Exp(B) = 3.608, 95%CI: 1.512-8.609, P = 0.044] and radiologic vascular invasion [Exp(B) = 5.553, 95%CI: 2.269-14.589, P = 0.002] were independent predictive factors for neoadjuvant treatment. Borderline resectability [Exp(B) = 0.222, P = 0.008], pancreatic head cancer involving the pancreatic neck [Exp(B) = 9.461, P = 0.001] and arterial invasion [Exp(B) = 6.208, P = 0.010], and adjusted CA19-9 ≥ 50 [Exp(B) = 1.972 P = 0.019] were identified as prognostic clinical factors to predict tumor recurrence.

CONCLUSION

The suggested preoperative defining system can help with designing treatment plans and also predict oncologic outcomes.

A case of carcinoma of the papilla of Vater in a young man after subtotal colectomy for familial adenomatous polyposis

Background

Carcinoma and adenoma of the duodenum, including the papilla of Vater, are problematic diseases in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).

Case presentation

A 36-year-old man underwent a periodic medical examination for early colon cancer originating from FAP for which laparoscopic-assisted subtotal colectomy with a J-shaped ileal pouch-rectal anastomosis was performed 3 years earlier. A tumor was detected at the papilla of Vater along with elevation of total bilirubin and hepatobiliary enzymes. Although cytology did not determine the tumor to be an adenocarcinoma, we suspected adenocarcinoma due to its hypervascularity shown by contrast-enhanced computed tomography. Pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy with modified Imanaga reconstruction and regional lymph node dissection (D2) was performed. The pathological study showed that the tumor was a papillary and moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma. The patient is currently in good health without recurrence, weight loss, or severe diarrhea at 12 months after surgery.

Conclusions

Awareness of biliary-pancreatic symptoms and periodic gastroduodenoscopy might contribute both to the early detection of duodenal or periampullary polyps and cancer and to the radical treatment of FAP. Modified Imanaga reconstruction has the potential to become one of the more effective procedures for providing good quality of life to FAP patients with duodenal or periampullary cancer.

Surgery for Pancreatic and Periampullary Carcinoma

Surgical resection for pancreatic and periampullary cancer has evolved over several decades. The postoperative mortality for these resections has declined to less than 5 %. However, morbidity associated with these resections is still considerable. Various technical modifications like pylorus preservation, reconstruction techniques and methods to perform pancreaticoenteric anastomosis have been suggested to improve postoperative outcomes after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Surgical modifications to improve oncological clearance and decrease fistula rates after distal pancreatic resections have also been suggested. Dilemma still exists whether interventions like pancreatic duct stents, octreotide and drains help to improve postoperative outcomes. The role of extended lymph node dissection and extended resections for pancreatic and periampullary cancer is still controversial, as is the management of borderline resectable pancreatic cancer. In this review, we discuss the literature pertaining to various surgical aspects of pancreatic and periampullary carcinoma.

Meta-analysis of subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy vs pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy

AIM: To investigate the differences in outcome following pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD) and subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (SSPPD).

METHODS: Major databases including PubMed (Medline), EMBASE and Science Citation Index Expanded and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in The Cochrane Library were searched for comparative studies between patients with PPPD and SSPPD published between January 1978 and July 2014. Studies were selected based on specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. The primary outcome was delayed gastric emptying (DGE). Secondary outcomes included operation time, intraoperative blood loss, pancreatic fistula, postoperative hemorrhage, intraabdominal abscess, wound infection, time to starting liquid diet, time to starting solid diet, period of nasogastric intubation, reinsertion of nasogastric tube, mortality and hospital stay. The pooled odds ratios (OR) or weighted mean difference (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) were calculated using either a fixed-effects or random-effects model.

RESULTS: Eight comparative studies recruiting 650 patients were analyzed, which include two RCTs, one non-randomized prospective and 5 retrospective trial designs. Patients undergoing SSPPD experienced significantly lower rates of DGE (OR = 2.75; 95%CI: 1.75-4.30, P < 0.00001) and a shorter period of nasogastric intubation (OR = 2.68; 95%CI: 0.77-4.58, P < 0.00001), with a tendency towards shorter time to liquid (WMD = 2.97, 95%CI: -0.46-7.83; P = 0.09) and solid diets (WMD = 3.69, 95%CI: -0.46-7.83; P = 0.08) as well as shorter inpatient stay (WMD = 3.92, 95%CI: -0.37-8.22; P = 0.07), although these latter three did not reach statistical significance. PPPD, however, was associated with less intraoperative blood loss than SSPPD [WMD = -217.70, 95%CI: -429.77-(-5.63); P = 0.04]. There were no differences in other parameters between the two approaches, including operative time (WMD = -5.30, 95%CI: -43.44-32.84; P = 0.79), pancreatic fistula (OR = 0.91; 95%CI: 0.56-1.49; P = 0.70), postoperative hemorrhage (OR = 0.51; 95%CI: 0.15-1.74; P = 0.29), intraabdominal abscess (OR = 1.05; 95%CI: 0.54-2.05; P = 0.89), wound infection (OR = 0.88; 95%CI: 0.39-1.97; P = 0.75), reinsertion of nasogastric tube (OR = 1.90; 95%CI: 0.91-3.97; P = 0.09) and mortality (OR = 0.31; 95%CI: 0.05-2.01; P = 0.22).

CONCLUSION: SSPPD may improve intraoperative and short-term postoperative outcomes compared to PPPD, especially DGE. However, these findings need to be further ascertained by well-designed randomized controlled trials.

Pathophysiology after pancreaticoduodenectomy

Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) will result in removal of important multiorgans in upper intestinal tract and subsequently secondary physiologic change. In the past, surgeons just focused on the safety of surgical procedure; however, PD is regarded as safe and widely applied to treatment of periampullary lesions. Practical issues after PD, such as, effect of duodenectomy, metabolic surgery-like effect, alignment effect of gastrointestinal continuity, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease were summarized and discussed.

A case-matched comparison and meta-analysis comparing pylorus-resecting pancreaticoduodenectomy with pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy for the incidence of postoperative delayed gastric emptying

OBJECTIVES

This study was conducted to compare the incidences of delayed gastric emptying (DGE) following pylorus-resecting pancreaticoduodenectomy (PrPD) and pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PpPD), respectively.

METHODS

Data for 37 patients submitted to PrPD were compared with data for a matched number of patients submitted to PpPD during the same period. A meta-analysis of comparative studies of the two techniques was also carried out. The primary endpoint was the rate of DGE (grades A-C) defined according to the International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery criteria.

RESULTS

In the case-matched comparison, both overall DGE (six PrPD patients and 17 PpPD patients; P = 0.006) and clinically relevant DGE (one PrPD and eight PpPD patients; P = 0.013) occurred significantly less often in the PrPD group than in the PpPD group. Based on eight non-randomized clinical trials and two randomized clinical trials involving 804 subjects, the meta-analysis further confirmed a significant reduction in DGE with pooled odds ratios of 0.33 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.17-0.63; P < 0.001] and 0.13 (95% CI 0.05-0.40; P < 0.001) for overall DGE and clinically relevant DGE, respectively. Other complications and mortality were similar in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Pylorus-resecting pancreaticoduodenectomy is a safe procedure associated with less severe and less frequent postoperative DGE than PpPD.