Risk for hemorrhage after pancreatoduodenectomy with venous resection

Experience of using stent grafts in the treatment of patients with arrosive bleeding after pancreatic surgery

Aim. To evaluate inhospital outcomes of endovascular treatment in patients who underwent endoprosthetic replacement of the culprit vessel due to arrosive bleeding after pancreatic surgery.

Material and methods. In the period 2012-2021 at the A. V. Vishnevsky National Medical Research Center of Surgery, 821 operations on the pancreas due to tumors and complicated chronic pancreatitis were performed. Seventy-five (9,1%) patients developed postoperative arrosive bleeding. Stent grafts were used to stop bleeding in 14 (18,7%) of them. There were 9 men (64,3%) and 5 women (35,7%). The median age of patients was 60 years (men — 61 years, women — 59 years). Arrosive bleeding occurred after pancreaticoduodenal resection in 13 patients, while in one case — after distal pancreatic resection. In all 14 cases, postoperative bleeding was severe and classified as grade C according to the International Study Group for Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS) classification.

Results. There were following sources of bleeding: gastroduodenal artery — 4 (28,6%) patients, proximal hepatic arteries (right/left) — in 4 (28,6%) patients, proximal superior mesenteric artery — in 2 (14,3%), dorsal pancreatic artery — in 1 (7,1%), false aneurysm of proximal splenic artery — in 1 (7,1%), proximal common hepatic artery — in 2 (14,3%). In 10 (71,4%) patients, endoprosthetic replacement of the proximal segment of culprit artery was performed, while in 4 (28,6%) patients with arrosion of short gastroduodenal artery stump and false aneurysm, endoprosthesis replacement of the common hepatic artery was performed with a transition to the proper hepatic artery. The technical success of endovascular hemostasis (absence of contrast media extravasation) was achieved in 100% of cases. Three (21,4%) of 14 patients developed rebleeding from another arterial source. Inhospital mortality was 28,6% (n=4). The cause of deaths in 3 cases was the direct complications of endovascular hemostasis, while in one patient — progressive postoperative pancreatitis with the outcome in multiple organ failure.

Conclusion. Endovascular hemostasis using a stent graft is an effective surgical method for the treatment of arrosive bleeding after pancreatic surgery. The intervention is associated with possible complications, the risk of which must be taken into account before the procedure. We consider arrosive bleeding from a defect in the main vessel (common/ proper/right or left hepatic arteries, superior mesenteric artery) as an indication for performing endoprosthetic replacement.

Factors for early postoperative cognitive impairment in patients after coronary bypass surgery and carotid endarterectomy

Aim. To determine the relationship between perioperative factors and cognitive function in patients after coronary bypass grafting (CABG) in combination with unilateral carotid endarterectomy (CE).

Material and methods. We examined 56 men in the perioperative period with CABG combined with unilateral CE (mean age, 64,0±7,1 years). Cognitive assessment was performed before and 5-7 days after surgery with Status PF program. An advanced psychometric examination included an assessment of voluntary attention (Bourdon test), short-term memory (tests on memorizing 10 numbers, 10 words, and 10 syllables), neurodynamics (visual-motor reaction time, level of functional mobility of nervous processes, brain performance, as well as the number of errors in these tasks and missed positive signals). The concentration of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S100β protein in the blood serum of patients before surgery, 24 hours and 5-7 days after surgery was determined using enzyme immunoassay.

Results. In the early postoperative period, an increase in reaction time (p=0,031) was accompanied by an increase in errors in this test (p=0,042) and a decrease in the number of memorized numbers (p=0,022). Twenty four hours and 5-7 days after surgery, there were no differences between the perioperative NSE level (p1-2-3>0.05). Twenty four hours after CABG surgery, the level of S100β protein increased by 9,0% (p=0,001), while regression of S100β protein to the preoperative level was observed 5-7 days after operation.

Conclusion. A relationship was found between the CABG factor and the attention level (r=-0,518; p=0,031), functional mobility reaction time (r=0,476; p=0,041), and the number of errors (r=0,449; p=0,032). A correlation was found between the factor of neurochemical markers, the number of processed letters on the 1st minute of Bourdon test (r=-0,642; p=0,014), the total number of processed letters in Bourdon test (r=-0,617; p=0,017). The combined factor of perioperative period was associated with functional mobility reaction time (r=0,609; p=0,041), the number of processed letters at 4 min (r=-0,490; p=0,017), and the total number of processed letters in the Bourdon test (r=-0,334; p=0,006).

Graft type for superior mesenteric and portal vein reconstruction in pancreatic surgery - A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Contemporary practice for superior mesenteric/portal vein (SMV-PV) reconstruction during pancreatectomy with vein resection involves biological (autograft, allograft, xenograft) or synthetic grafts as a conduit or patch. The aim of this study was to systematically review the safety and feasibility of the different grafts used for SMV-PV reconstruction.

METHODS

A systematic search was performed in PubMed and Embase according to the PRISMA guidelines (January 2000-March 2020). Studies reporting on ≥ 5 patients undergoing reconstruction of the SMV-PV with grafts during pancreatectomy were included. Primary outcome was rate of graft thrombosis.

RESULTS

Thirty-four studies with 603 patients were included. Four graft types were identified (autologous vein, autologous parietal peritoneum/falciform ligament, allogeneic cadaveric vein/artery, synthetic grafts). Early and overall graft thrombosis rate was 7.5% and 22.2% for synthetic graft, 5.6% and 11.7% for autologous vein graft, 6.7% and 8.9% for autologous parietal peritoneum/falciform ligament, and 2.5% and 6.2% for allograft. Donor site complications were reported for harvesting of the femoral, saphenous, and external iliac vein. No cases of graft infection were reported for synthetic grafts.

CONCLUSION

In selected patients, autologous, allogenic or synthetic grafts for SMV-PV reconstruction are safe and feasible. Synthetic grafts seems to have a higher incidence of graft thrombosis.

Flooring the Major Vessels with Falciform Ligament to Prevent Post-Pancreatectomy Hemorrhage

BACKGROUND

One of the most severe pancreatic surgery complications is post-pancreatectomy hemorrhage (PPH). This study's aim was to evaluate the efficacy of flooring the major vessels with falciform ligament in preventing PPH after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD).

METHODS

This study was a retrospective review of 500 consecutive patients who underwent PD between Jan 2010 and Dec 2019 at Hiroshima University. Morbidities, including postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) or PPH and 90-day mortality, were analyzed. The study cohort was divided into two groups based on the time of surgery (2010-2016 and 2017-2019), i.e., before and after implementation of falciform ligament flooring method. The patient characteristics, operative parameters, clinicopathological factors, morbidity, and mortality were compared between the two periods.

RESULTS

Morbidity and mortality rates in the entire cohort were 21% and 1.4%, respectively. The incidence of Grade B/C POPF and PPH was 9.0% and 3.8%, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two periods with respect to Grade B/C POPF, morbidity rate, and mortality rate; however, the rate of Grade B/C PPH significantly decreased from 5.2 to 1.6% p = .027. On multivariate analysis, the absence of the falciform ligament flooring method was an independent PPH risk factor p = .003.

CONCLUSIONS

Falciform ligament flooring method may help decrease the incidence of PPH after PD.