Definition and classification of chyle leak after pancreatic operation: A consensus statement by the International Study Group on Pancreatic Surgery

Long-term outcomes after resection of extra-ampullary duodenal adenocarcinomas: single-center experience

BACKGROUND

Extra-ampullary duodenal adenocarcinoma is a rare neoplasm. The data on long-term outcomes after curative resection are limited, and the role of systemic chemotherapy is not defined in these tumors. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic factors and survival of patients with resected primary duodenal cancers.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of patients with resected primary duodenal adenocarcinoma was conducted between January 2010 and December 2023.

RESULTS

A total of 59 patients were included in the study. The median age of patients was 60 years (IQR, 33-79), and 79.7% of patients were males. The second part of the duodenum was the most common location of the tumor in 42 patients (71.2%). Pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed in 57 patients (96.6%), and segmental duodenal resection was performed on 2 patients (3.4%). The median lymph node harvest was 18 (IQR, 2-70). Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 39 patients (66.1%). At a median follow-up of 32.00 months (IQR, 3.29-166.74), the 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival rates were 55.0% and 49.3%, respectively. Regarding prognostic factors, lymph node ratio (LNR; hazard ratio [HR], 2.94; 95% CI, 1.01-8.53), adenocarcinoma subtype (intestinal vs nonintestinal; HR, 4.59; 95% CI, 1.59-13.23), and margin of resection (HR, 44.24; 95% CI, 4.02-486.19) were significant factors for OS.

CONCLUSION

Margin-free surgical resection offers the best chance of cure for operable duodenal adenocarcinoma. The intestinal subtype and low LNR are predictors of better survival, and the role of adjuvant chemotherapy remains debatable until prospective randomized trials are conducted.

Proposal of a revised 3-tier "2 mm" risk classification model for postoperative pancreatic fistula in robotic pancreatoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND

The recent International Study Group for Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS) risk classification for postoperative pancreatic fistula (grade B/C) was developed based on data from open and mixed minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy. The ISGPS risk classification model has not been validated specifically for POPF after robotic pancreatoduodenectomy (RPD).

METHODS

We calculated the rate of POPF (ISGPS 2016 definition, grade B/C) by analyzing consecutive patients after RPD by surgeons after their learning curves (80 RPDs per surgeon). The validation of the ISGPS 4-tier and the simplified 3-tier risk classification was conducted using the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC).

RESULTS

From 2019 to 2023, 187 patients after RPD were included. Neither the ISGPS 4-tier nor the simplified 3-tier classification model showed robust discrimination (AUC: 0.696 and 0.685, respectively). Moreover, both risk classifications failed to differentiate the rates of POPF and major complications among subgroups. Multivariate analysis suggested that soft pancreatic texture and pancreatic duct ≤ 2 mm were independent risk factors for POPF after RPD. After adjusting the duct size's cutoff from 3 to 2 mm, the revised 4-tier "2 mm" classification model showed no significant difference between risk categories B and C (6.7% vs. 9.4%, P = 0.063). The revised 3-tier "2 mm" classification model stratified patients into A (n = 54), B (n = 68), and C (n = 65) groups, with corresponding POPF rates of 0.0%, 8.8%, and 23.1% (P < 0.001), and major complication rates of 5.6, 14.7, and 24.6% (P = 0.014), respectively. Compared to the simplified 3-tier classification model, the revised 3-tier "2 mm" classification model showed improved discrimination (AUC: 0.753 vs. 0.685, P = 0.034) and clinical utility.

CONCLUSIONS

The current ISGPS 4-tier and the simplified 3-tier classification models lacked sufficient discrimination in patients after RPD. We propose a revised 3-tier "2 mm" risk classification model for RPD with a robust discrimination, which requires further international validation with prospectively obtained data.

Early mobilization after pancreatic surgery: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Pancreatic surgery has long been burdened with high postoperative morbidity. Early mobilization has been advocated to prevent complications and improve functional capacity. However, there is a lack of high-quality evidence supporting how to implement early mobilization and its independent impact on postoperative outcomes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of implementing early mobilization in reducing postoperative complications and enhancing recovery in patients undergoing pancreatic surgery.

METHODS

We conducted a single-blind, randomized trial in patients who underwent pancreatic surgery in a tertiary hospital in China. Eligible participants were randomly assigned to either the control group or the intervention group. Patients in the control group received usual care, whereas those in the intervention group received the early enforced mobilization protocol. The protocol consisted of 2 key components: professional assistance with the first ambulation on postoperative day 1 and family-involved supervision to achieve daily walking goals. The primary outcome was postoperative complications within 30 days, measured by the Comprehensive Complication Index. Secondary outcomes were postoperative mobilization, time to recovery of gastrointestinal function, postoperative pulmonary complications, pancreatic surgery-specific complications, patient-reported outcome measures, and 30-day readmission and mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 135 patients were enrolled: 67 in the intervention group and 68 in the control group. The median Comprehensive Complication Index was not statistically significant between groups (mean difference -1.7; 95% confidence interval -8.7 to 0). Patients in the intervention group had earlier first ambulation postoperatively, walked greater distances on postoperative days 1-7, and had earlier time to first defecation. Trends for improvement in patient-reported outcomes showed that scores of Quality of Recovery 15 at postoperative day 3, physical function of Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 at postoperative day 7, and global quality of life at postoperative day 30 were significantly greater in the intervention group. There was no between-group difference in other domains of the Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 or other secondary outcome measures.

CONCLUSION

Early enforced mobilization intervention did not reduce postoperative complications of patients undergoing pancreatic surgery, but it can enhance postoperative mobilization and improve the recovery of gastrointestinal function and patient-perceived quality of recovery.

Nationwide cost-effectiveness and quality of life analysis of minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy

BACKGROUND

This study analyzed the Quality of Life (QoL) and cost-effectiveness of laparoscopic (LDP) versus robotic distal pancreatectomy (RDP).

METHODS

Consecutive patients submitted to LDP or RDP from 2010 to 2020 in four high-volume Italian centers were included, with a minimum of 12 months of postoperative follow-up were included. QoL was evaluated using the EORTC QLQ-C30 and EQ-5D questionnaires, self-reported by patients. After a propensity score matching, which included BMI, gender, operation time, multiorgan and vascular resections, splenic preservation, and pancreatic stump management, the mean differential cost and Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALY) were calculated and plotted on a cost-utility plane.

RESULTS

The study population consisted of 564 patients. Among these, 271 (49%) patients were submitted to LDP, while 293 (51%) patients to RDP. After propensity score matching, the study population was composed of 159 patients in each group, with a median follow-up of 59 months. As regards the QoL analysis, global health and emotional functioning domains showed better results in the RDP group (p = 0.037 and p = 0.026, respectively), whereas the other did not differ. As expected, the median crude costs analysis confirmed that RDP was more expensive than LDP (16,041 Euros vs. 10,335 Euros, p < 0.001). However, the robotic approach had a higher probability of being more cost-effective than the laparoscopic procedure when a willingness to pay more than 5697 Euros/QALY was accepted.

CONCLUSION

RDP was associated with better QoL as explored by specific domains. Crude costs were higher for RDP, and the cost-effectiveness threshold was set at 5697 euros/QALY.

Clinical Significance and Risk Factors of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Diseases After Whipple Procedure

INTRODUCTION

The etiology and management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the risk factors and outcomes of NAFLD after PD (PD-NAFLD).

METHODS

Patients who underwent PD at our institution between June 2019 and September 2021 were enrolled in the study. The clinical manifestations and outcomes of the patients with PD-NAFLD were evaluated. Multivariable analysis was used to identify risk factors for PD-NAFLD.

RESULTS

Of the 407 patients enrolled, PD-NAFLD was identified in 54 (13.2%). The median time of onset of PD-NAFLD was 72.5 (51.5-171.25) d postoperatively. Twenty-four patients (44.4%) recovered completely within 36 mo postoperatively. Adjuvant chemotherapy was administered in 147 malignant cases, and patients with PD-NAFLD encountered delay or discontinuation of chemotherapy more frequently than those without PD-NAFLD (55.9% versus 30.1%, P = 0.006). Multivariable analysis identified female sex, high body mass index, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy as independent risk factors for PD-NAFLD.

CONCLUSIONS

PD-NAFLD is a common complication of PD. Female sex, high body mass index, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy may be associated with the development of PD-NAFLD. PD-NAFLD may interrupt the delivery of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with malignant tumors.

Transatlantic differences in the use and outcome of minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy: an international multi-registry analysis

BACKGROUND

Minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy (MIPD) has emerged as an alternative to open pancreatoduodenectomy (OPD). However, the extent of variation in the use and outcomes of MIPD in relation to OPD among countries is unclear as international studies using registry data are lacking. This study aimed to investigate the use, patient selection, and outcomes of MIPD and OPD in four transatlantic audits for pancreatic surgery.

METHODS

A post hoc comparative analysis including consecutive patients after MIPD and OPD from four nationwide and multicenter pancreatic surgery audits from North America, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden (2014-2020). Patient factors related to MIPD were identified using multivariable logistic regression. Outcome analyses excluded the Swedish audit because < 100 MIPD were performed during the studied period.

RESULTS

Overall, 44,076 patients who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy were included (29,107 North America, 7586 Germany, 4970 the Netherlands, and 2413 Sweden), including 3328 MIPD procedures (8%). The use of MIPD varied widely among countries (absolute largest difference [ALD] 17%, p < 0.001): 7% North America, 4% Germany, 17% the Netherlands, and 0.1% Sweden. Over time, the use of MIPD increased in North America and the Netherlands (p < 0.001), mostly driven by robotic MIPD, but not in Germany (p = 0.297). Patient factors predicting the use of MIPD included country, later year of operation, better performance status, high POPF-risk score, no vascular resection, and non-malignant indication. Conversion rates were higher in laparoscopic MIPD (range 28-45%), compared to robotic MIPD (range 9-37%). In-hospital/30-day mortality differed among North America, Germany, and the Netherlands; MIPD (2%, 7%, 4%; ALD 5%, p < 0.001) and OPD (2%, 5%, 3%; ALD 3%, p < 0.001), similar to major morbidity; MIPD (25%, 42%, 38%, ALD 17%, p < 0.001) and OPD (25%, 31%, 30%, ALD 6%, p < 0.001), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Considerable differences were found in the use and outcome, including conversion and mortality rates, of MIPD and OPD among four transatlantic audits for pancreatic surgery. Our findings highlight the need for international collaboration to optimize treatment standards and patient outcome.

Impact of pancreas transection site on incidence of pancreatic fistula after distal pancreatectomy: a propensity score matched study

BACKGROUND

Distal pancreatectomy (DP) is performed for lesions in the body and tail of the pancreas. The morbidity profile is considerable, mainly due to clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF). This study aims to investigate potential differences in CR-POPF related to transection site.

METHODS

An observational cohort study from a prospectively maintained database was performed. Subtotal distal pancreatectomy (SDP) was defined as transection over the superior mesenteric vein, and DP was defined as transection lateral to this point. Propensity score matching (PSM) in 1:1 fashion was applied based on demographical and perioperative variables.

RESULTS

Six hundred and six patients were included in the analysis (1997-2020). Four hundred twenty (69.3%) underwent DP, while 186 (30.7%) underwent SDP. The rate of CR-POPF was 19.3% after DP and 20.4% after SDP (p = 0.74). SDP was associated with older age (63.1 vs 60.1 years, p = 0.016), higher occurrence of ductal adenocarcinoma (37.1 vs 17.6%, p = 0.001) and more frequent use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (3.8 vs 0.7%, p = 0.012). After PSM, 155 patients were left in each group. The difference in CR-POPF between DP and SDP remained statistically non-significant (20.6 vs 18.7%, p = 0.67).

CONCLUSION

This study found no difference in CR-POPF related to transection site during distal pancreatectomy.

Causes and predictors of unplanned reoperations within 30 days post laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy: a comprehensive analysis

Objective

To delineate the risk factors and causes of unplanned reoperations within 30 days following laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD).

Methods

A retrospective study reviewed 311 LPD patients at Ningbo Medical Center Li Huili Hospital from 2017 to 2024. Demographic and clinical parameters were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses, with P < 0.05 indicating statistical significance.

Results

Out of 311 patients, 23 (7.4%) required unplanned reoperations within 30 days post-LPD, primarily due to postoperative bleeding (82.6%). Other causes included anastomotic leakage, abdominal infection, and afferent loop obstruction. The reoperation intervals varied, with the majority occurring within 0 to 14 days post-surgery. Univariate analysis identified significant risk factors: diabetes, liver cirrhosis, elevated CRP on POD-3 and POD-7, pre-operative serum prealbumin < 0.15 g/L, prolonged operation time, intraoperative bleeding > 120 ml, vascular reconstruction, soft pancreatic texture, and a main pancreatic duct diameter ≤3 mm (all P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis confirmed independent risk factors: pre-operative serum prealbumin < 0.15 g/L (OR = 3.519, 95% CI 1.167-10.613), CRP on POD-7 (OR = 1.013, 95% CI 1.001-1.026), vascular reconstruction (OR = 9.897, 95% CI 2.405-40.733), soft pancreatic texture (OR = 5.243, 95% CI 1.628-16.885), and a main pancreatic duct diameter ≤3 mm (OR = 3.462, 95% CI 1.049-11.423), all associated with unplanned reoperation within 30 days post-LPD (all P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Postoperative bleeding is the primary cause of unplanned reoperations after LPD. Independent risk factors, confirmed by multivariate analysis, include low pre-operative serum prealbumin, elevated CRP on POD-7, vascular reconstruction, soft pancreatic texture, and a main pancreatic duct diameter of ≤3 mm. Comprehensive peri-operative management focusing on these risk factors can reduce the likelihood of unplanned reoperations and improve patient outcomes.

Learning curve of robotic pancreatoduodenectomy by a single surgeon with extensive laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy experience

With the development of robotic systems, robotic pancreatoduodenectomies (RPDs) have been increasingly performed. However, the number of cases required by surgeons with extensive laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy (LPD) experience to overcome the learning curve of RPD remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to analyze and explore the impact of different phases of the learning curve of RPD on perioperative outcomes. Clinical data were prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed for 100 consecutive patients who underwent RPD performed by a single surgeon. This surgeon had previous experience with LPD, having performed 127 LPDs with low morbidity. The learning curve for RPD was analyzed using the cumulative sum (CUSUM) method based on operation time, and perioperative outcomes were compared between the learning and proficiency phases. Between April 2020 and November 2022, one hundred patients (56 men, 44 women) were included in this study. Based on the CUSUM curve of operation time, the learning curve for RPD was divided into two phases: phase I was the learning phase (cases 1-33) and phase II was the proficiency phase (cases 34-100). The operation time during the proficiency phase was significantly shorter than that during the learning phase. In the learning phase of RPD, no significant increases were observed in estimated blood loss, conversion to laparotomy, severe complications, postoperative pancreatic hemorrhage, clinical pancreatic fistula, or other perioperative complications compared to the proficiency phases of either RPD or LPD. A surgeon with extensive prior experience in LPD can safely surmount the RPD learning curve without increasing morbidity in the learning phase. The proficiency was significantly improved after accumulating experience of 33 RPD cases.

Evolution and improved outcomes in the era of multimodality treatment for extended pancreatectomy

BACKGROUND

The evolution and outcomes of extended pancreatectomies at a single institute over 15 years are presented in this study.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of the institutional database was performed from 2015 to 2022 (period B). Patients undergoing extended pancreatic resections, as defined by the International Study Group for Pancreatic Surgery, were included. Perioperative and survival outcomes were compared with data from 2007-2015 (period A). Regression analyses were used to identify factors affecting postoperative and long-term survival outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 197 (16.1%) patients underwent an extended resection in period B compared to 63 (9.2%) in period A. Higher proportions of borderline resectable (5 (18.5%) versus 51 (47.7%), P = 0.011) and locally advanced tumours (1 (3.7%) versus 24 (22.4%), P < 0.001) were resected in period B with more frequent use of neoadjuvant therapy (6 (22.2%) versus 79 (73.8%), P < 0.001). Perioperative mortality (4 (6.0%) versus 12 (6.1%), P = 0.81) and morbidity (23 (36.5%) versus 83 (42.1%), P = 0.57) rates were comparable. The overall survival for patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma was similar in both periods (17.5 (95% c.i. 6.77 to 28.22) versus 18.3 (95% c.i. 7.91 to 28.68) months, P = 0.958). Resectable, node-positive tumours had a longer disease-free survival (DFS) in period B (5.81 (95% c.i. 1.73 to 9.89) versus 14.03 (95% c.i. 5.7 to 22.35) months, P = 0.018).

CONCLUSION

Increasingly complex pancreatic resections were performed with consistent perioperative outcomes and improved DFS compared to the earlier period. A graduated approach to escalating surgical complexity, multimodality treatment, and judicious patient selection enables the resection of advanced pancreatic tumours.

Perioperative textbook outcomes of minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy: a multicenter retrospective cohort analysis in a Korean minimally invasive pancreatic surgery registry

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study is to investigate the perioperative composite textbook outcomes of pancreatic surgery after minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy (MIPD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The cohort study was conducted across 10 institutions and included 1552 patients who underwent MIPD registered with the Korean Study Group on Minimally Invasive Pancreatic Surgery between May 2007 and April 2020. We analyzed perioperative textbook outcomes of pancreatic surgery after MIPD. Subgroup analyses were performed to assess outcomes based on the hospital volume of MIPD.

RESULTS

Among all patients, 21.8% underwent robotic pancreatoduodenectomy. High-volume centers (performing >20 MIPD/year) performed 88.1% of the procedures. The incidence of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula was 11.5%. Severe complications (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥IIIa) occurred in 15.1% of the cases. The 90-day mortality rate was 0.8%. The mean hospital stay was 13.7 days. Textbook outcomes of pancreatic surgery success were achieved in 60.4% of patients, with higher rates observed in high-volume centers than in low-volume centers (62.2% vs. 44.7%, P <0.001). High-volume centers exhibited significantly lower conversion rates (5.4% vs. 12.5%, P =0.001), lower 90-day mortality (0.5% vs. 2.7%, P =0.001), and lower 90-day readmission rates (4.5% vs. 9.6%, P =0.006) than those low-volume centers.

CONCLUSION

MIPD could be performed safely with permissible perioperative outcomes, including textbook outcomes of pancreatic surgery, particularly in experienced centers. The findings of this study provided valuable insights for guiding surgical treatment decisions in periampullary disease.

Impact of hepatic artery variation on surgical and oncological outcomes in robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND

In patients with hepatic artery variation (HAV), feasibility and justification of robotic pancreatoduodenectomy (RPD) for periampullary lesions have been not been well established.

METHODS

A total of 600 patients with periampullary lesions receiving RPD or open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD) were identified from our prospectively collected computer database. Surgical outcomes, oncological radicality, and survival outcomes after RPD in HAV ( +) and (-) patients were compared.

RESULTS

The incidence of HAV was 16%, including 12.7% in patients with RPD and 23.0% in those with OPD. In the HAV ( +) group, vascular injury rate had no statistical difference between the RPD (3.7%) and OPD (9.1%) patients, P = 0.404. Among the RPD patients, those with HAV ( +) had longer operation time (8.5 ± 2.5 vs. 7.7 ± 2.0 h, P = 0.013) and higher vascular injury (3.8% vs. 0.6%, P = 0.024) when compared with the HAV (-) patients. There was no significant difference between the HAV ( +) and (-) patients with RPD regarding blood loss, open conversion, vascular resection, and surgical mortality and morbidity. There was no survival difference between the HAV ( +) and (-) patients with pancreatic head adenocarcinoma after RPD. There was no survival difference between RPD and OPD in the HAV ( +) group.

CONCLUSIONS

When compared with OPD, RPD is feasible and justifiable without increasing vascular injury rate for patients with HAV ( +). Hepatic artery variation has no negative impact on surgical, oncological, and survival outcomes following an RPD, if it is accurately identified pre-operatively and appropriately managed intraoperatively.

Venous resection increases risk of chyle leak after total pancreatectomy for pancreatic tumors

BACKGROUND

Existing research on chyle leak (CL) after pancreatic surgery is mostly focused on pancreaticoduodenectomy and lacks investigation on total pancreatectomy (TP). This study aimed to explore potential risk factors of CL and develop a predictive model for patients with pancreatic tumor undergoing TP.

METHODS

This retrospective study enrolled 90 consecutive patients undergoing TP from January 2015 to December 2023 at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. According to the inclusion criteria, 79 patients were finally included in the following analysis. The LASSO regression and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to identify risk factors associated with CL and construct a predictive nomogram. Then, the ROC analysis, calibration curve, decision curve analysis (DCA), and clinical impact curve (CIC) were performed to assess its discrimination, accuracy, and efficacy. Due to the small sample size, we adopted the bootstrap resampling method with 500 repetitions for validation. Lastly, we plotted and analyzed the trend of postoperative drainage volume in CL patients.

RESULTS

We revealed that venous resection (OR = 4.352, 95%CI 1.404-14.04, P = 0.011) was an independent risk factor for CL after TP. Prolonged operation time (OR = 1.473, 95%CI 1.015-2.237, P = 0.052) was also associated with an increased incidence of CL. We included these two factors in our prediction model. The area under the curve (AUC) was 0.752 (95%CI 0.622-0.874) after bootstrap. The calibration curve, DCA and CIC showed great accuracy and clinical benefit of our nomogram. In patients with CL, the mean drainage volume was significantly higher in venous resection group and grade B CL group.

CONCLUSION

Venous resection was an independent risk factor for chyle leak after TP. Patients undergoing vascular resection during TP should be alert for the occurrence of CL after surgery. We then constructed a nomogram consisted of venous resection and operation time to predict the odds of CL in patients undergoing TP.

Thick mesopancreas is a novel predictor of surgical outcomes of patients who undergo pancreaticoduodenectomy

PURPOSE

Mesopancreas resection is a crucial but difficult procedure when performing pancreaticoduodenectomy. This study evaluated the influence of mesopancreas thickness on surgical outcomes in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy.

METHODS

We measured the thickness of the fat tissue on the right side of the superior mesenteric artery from the dorsal margin of the confluence of the superior mesenteric vein and portal vein to the ventral margin of the left renal vein on preoperative contrast-enhanced computed tomography and defined it as the mesopancreas thickness. We evaluated the correlation between mesopancreas thickness and intraoperative and postoperative variables in 357 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy.

RESULTS

Multivariate analysis revealed that a thick mesopancreas was significantly associated with a long operative time (β = 10.361; 95% confidence interval, 0.370-20.353, p = 0.042), high estimated blood loss (β = 36.038; 95% confidence interval, -27.192-99.268, p = 0.013), and a low number of resected lymph nodes (β = -1.551; 95% confidence interval, -2.662--0.439, p = 0.006). This analysis further revealed that thick mesopancreas was a significant risk factor for overall morbidity (odds ratio 2.170; 95% confidence interval 1.340-3.520, p = 0.002), major morbidity (odds ratio 2.430; 95% confidence interval 1.360-4.340, p = 0.003), and a longer hospital stay (β = 2.386; 95% confidence interval 0.299-4.474, p = 0.025).

CONCLUSION

A thick mesopancreas could predict a longer operation time, higher estimated blood loss, fewer resected lymph nodes, more frequent overall and major morbidities, and a longer hospital stay in patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy more precisely than the body mass index.

Robotic Versus Open Pancreatoduodenectomy With Vein Resection and Reconstruction: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis

Objective

This study aimed to compare robotic pancreatoduodenectomy with vein resection (PD-VR) based on the incidence of severe postoperative complications (SPC).

Background

Robotic pancreatoduodenectomy has been gaining momentum in recent years. Vein resection is frequently required in this operation, but no study has compared robotic and open PD-VR using a matched analysis.

Methods

This was an intention-to-treat study designed to demonstrate the noninferiority of robotic to open PD-VR (2011-2021) based on SPC. To achieve a power of 80% (noninferiority margin:10%; α error: 0.05; ß error: 0.20), a 1:1 propensity score-matched analysis required 35 pairs.

Results

Of the 151 patients with PD-VR (open = 115, robotic = 36), 35 procedures per group were compared. Elective conversion to open surgery was required in 1 patient with robotic PD-VR (2.9%). One patient in both groups experienced partial vein thrombosis. SPC occurred in 7 (20.0%) and 6 patients (17.1%) in the robotic and open PD-VR groups, respectively (P = 0.759; OR: 1.21 [0.36-4.04]). Three patients died after robotic PD-VR (8.6%) and none died after open PD-VR (P = 0.239). Robotic PD-VR was associated with longer operative time (611.1 ± 13.9 minutes vs 529.0 ± 13.0 minutes; P < 0.0001), more type 2 vein resection (28.6% vs 5.7%; P = 0.0234) and less type 3 vein resection (31.4% vs 71.4%; P = 0.0008), longer vein occlusion time (30 [25.3-78.3] minutes vs 15 [8-19.5] minutes; P = 0.0098), less blood loss (450 [200-750] mL vs 733 [500-1070.3] mL; P = 0.0075), and fewer blood transfusions (intraoperative: 14.3% vs 48.6%; P = 0.0041) (perioperative: 14.3% vs 60.0%; P = 0.0001).

Conclusions

In this study, robotic PD-VR was noninferior to open PD-VR for SPC. Robotic and open PD-VR need to be compared in randomized controlled trials.

Peri-firing compression in prevention of pancreatic fistula after distal pancreatectomy: A systematic review and a cohort study

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) after distal pancreatectomy (DP) occurs in 20%-40% of patients and remains a leading cause of morbidity and increased healthcare cost in this patient group. Recently, several studies suggested decreased risk of CR-POPF with the use of peri-firing compression (PFC) technique. The aim of this report was to conduct a systematic review to get an overview of the current knowledge on the use of PFC in DP. In addition, our experience with PFC was presented.

METHODS

The systematic literature review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Also, 19 patients undergoing DP with the use of PFC at Oslo University Hospital were studied. The primary endpoint was incidence of CR-POPF.

RESULTS

Seven articles reporting a total of 771 patients were ultimately included in the systematic review. Only two of these were case-control studies examining outcomes in patients with and without PFC, while the rest were case series. These were heterogeneous in terms of staplers used, cartridge selection policy, and PFC technique. Both case-control studies reported significantly reduced CR- POPF incidence with PFC. Eight (21%) of our patients developed CR-POPF after DP with PFC. Only one patient developed CR-POPF among those with pancreatic transection site thickness ⩽1.5 cm.

CONCLUSION

Evidence on potential benefits of PFC in DP is limited in quantity and quality. Our findings suggest that the use of PFC does not lead to reduction in the incidence of CR-POPF. Yet, there might be a benefit from PFC when dealing with a thin pancreas.

The impact of lymphangiograpy on chyle leakage treatment duration after pancreatic surgery

PURPOSE

Chyle leakage (CL) is a common complication in pancreatic surgery. Lymphangiography is a therapeutic option for CL in cases of conservative treatment failure. This study investigated the effect of lymphangiography on the healing time of CL.

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated 283 patients who underwent pancreatic resection between January 2016 and June 2022. The risk factors for CL and the treatment period were evaluated according to whether or not lymphangiography was performed.

RESULTS

Of the 29 patients (10.2%) that had CL, lymphangiography was performed in 6. Malignant disease, the number of harvested lymph nodes, and drain fluid volume on postoperative day 2 were identified as independent risk factors for CL. Lymphangiography was associated with the cumulative healing rate of CL, and patients who underwent lymphangiography had a significantly shorter treatment period. No lymphangiography-related adverse events were observed.

CONCLUSION

Lymphangiography is a feasible and safe treatment option for CL. The CL treatment period after pancreatic surgery was significantly shorter in patients who underwent lymphangiography than in those who did not. Our results suggest that lymphangiography may contribute to early improvement of persistent CL.

TRIANGLE operation, combined with adequate adjuvant chemotherapy, can improve the prognosis of pancreatic head cancer: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND

The TRIANGLE operation involves the removal of all tissues within the triangle bounded by the portal vein-superior mesenteric vein, celiac axis-common hepatic artery, and superior mesenteric artery to improve patient prognosis. Although previously promising in patients with locally advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), data are limited regarding the long-term oncological outcomes of the TRIANGLE operation among resectable PDAC patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).

AIM

To evaluate the safety of the TRIANGLE operation during PD and the prognosis in patients with resectable PDAC.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included patients who underwent PD for pancreatic head cancer between January 2017 and April 2023, with or without the TRIANGLE operation. Patients were divided into the PDTRIANGLE and PDnon-TRIANGLE groups. Surgical and survival outcomes were compared between the two groups. Adequate adjuvant chemotherapy was defined as adjuvant chemotherapy ≥ 6 months.

RESULTS

The PDTRIANGLE and PDnon-TRIANGLE groups included 52 and 55 patients, respectively. There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics or perioperative indexes between the two groups. Furthermore, the recurrence rate was lower in the PDTRIANGLE group than in the PDnon-TRIANGLE group (48.1% vs 81.8%, P < 0.001), and the local recurrence rate of PDAC decreased from 37.8% to 16.0%. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that PDTRIANGLE (HR = 0.424; 95%CI: 0.256-0.702; P = 0.001), adequate adjuvant chemotherapy ≥ 6 months (HR = 0.370; 95%CI: 0.222-0.618; P < 0.001) and margin status (HR = 2.255; 95%CI: 1.252-4.064; P = 0.007) were found to be independent factors for the recurrence rate.

CONCLUSION

The TRIANGLE operation is safe for PDAC patients undergoing PD. Moreover, it reduces the local recurrence rate of PDAC and may improve survival in patients who receive adequate adjuvant chemotherapy.

Delayed gastric emptying after laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy: a single-center experience of 827 cases

BACKGROUND

Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) commonly occurs after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Risk factors for DGE have been reported in open PD but are rarely reported in laparoscopic PD (LPD). This study was designed to evaluate the perioperative risk factors for DGE and secondary DGE after LPD in a single center.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study included patients who underwent LPD between October 2014 and April 2023. Demographic data, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were collected. The risk factors for DGE and secondary DGE were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 827 consecutive patients underwent LPD. One hundred and forty-two patients (17.2%) developed DGE of any type. Sixty-five patients (7.9%) had type A, 62 (7.5%) had type B, and the remaining 15 (1.8%) had type C DGE. Preoperative biliary drainage (p = 0.032), blood loss (p = 0.014), and 90-day any major complication with Dindo-Clavien score ≥ III (p < 0.001) were independent significant risk factors for DGE. Seventy-six (53.5%) patients were diagnosed with primary DGE, whereas 66 (46.5%) patients had DGE secondary to concomitant complications. Higher body mass index, soft pancreatic texture, and perioperative transfusion were independent risk factors for secondary DGE. Hospital stay and drainage tube removal time were significantly longer in the DGE and secondary DGE groups.

CONCLUSION

Identifying patients at an increased risk of DGE and secondary DGE can be used to intervene earlier, avoid potential risk factors, and make more informed clinical decisions to shorten the duration of perioperative management.

Standard Nutritional Assessment Tools Are Unable to Predict Loss of Muscle Mass in Patients Due to Undergo Pancreatico-Duodenectomy: Highlighting the Need for Detailed Nutritional Assessment

BACKGROUND AND METHODS

Pancreatico-duodenectomy (PD) carries significant morbidity and mortality, with very few modifiable risk factors. Radiological evidence of sarcopenia is associated with poor outcomes. This retrospective study aimed to analyse the relationship between easy-to-use bedside nutritional assessment techniques and radiological markers of muscle loss to identify those patients most likely to benefit from prehabilitation.

RESULTS

Data were available in 184 consecutive patients undergoing PD. Malnutrition was present in 33-71%, and 48% had a high visceral fat-to-skeletal muscle ratio, suggestive of sarcopenic obesity (SO). Surgical risk was higher in patients with obesity (OR 1.07, 95%CI 1.01-1.14, p = 0.031), and length of stay was 5 days longer in those with SO (p = 0.006). There was no correlation between skeletal muscle and malnutrition using percentage weight loss or the malnutrition universal screening tool (MUST), but a weak correlation between the highest hand grip strength (HGS; 0.468, p < 0.001) and the Global Leadership in Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria (-0.379, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Nutritional assessment tools give widely variable results. Further research is needed to identify patients at significant nutritional risk prior to PD. In the meantime, those with malnutrition (according to the GLIM criteria), obesity or low HGS should be referred to prehabilitation.

Cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator (CUSA) compared with conventional pancreatic transection in distal pancreatectomy: study protocol for the randomised controlled CUSA-1 pilot trial

BACKGROUND

Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) remains the most common and serious complication after distal pancreatectomy. Many attempts at lowering fistula rates have led to unrewarding insignificant results as still up to 30% of the patients suffer from clinically relevant POPF. Therefore, the development of new innovative methods and procedures is still a cornerstone of current surgical research.The cavitron ultrasonic surgical aspirator (CUSA) device is a well-known ultrasound-based parenchyma transection method, often used in liver and neurosurgery which has not yet been thoroughly investigated in pancreatic surgery, but the first results seem very promising.

METHODS

The CUSA-1 trial is a randomised controlled pilot trial with two parallel study groups. This single-centre trial is assessor and patient blinded. A total of 60 patients with an indication for open distal pancreatectomy will be intraoperatively randomised after informed consent. The patients will be randomly assigned to either the control group with conventional pancreas transection (scalpel or stapler) or the experimental group, with transection using the CUSA device. The primary safety endpoint of this trial will be postoperative complications ≥grade 3 according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. The primary endpoint to investigate the effect will be the rate of POPF within 30 days postoperatively according to the ISGPS definition. Further perioperative outcomes, including postpancreatectomy haemorrhage, length of hospital stay and mortality will be analysed as secondary endpoints.

DISCUSSION

Based on the available literature, CUSA may have a beneficial effect on POPF occurrence after distal pancreatectomy. The rationale of the CUSA-1 pilot trial is to investigate the safety and feasibility of the CUSA device in elective open distal pancreatectomy compared with conventional dissection methods and gather the first data on the effect on POPF occurrence. This data will lay the groundwork for a future confirmatory multicentre randomised controlled trial.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

The CUSA-1 trial protocol was approved by the ethics committee of the University of Heidelberg (No. S-098/2022). Results will be published in an international peer-reviewed journal and summaries will be provided in lay language to study participants and their relatives.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

DRKS00027474.

An Elemental Diet Reduces Chylous Ascites of Patients Undergoing Pancreatoduodenectomy in the Setting of Early Enteral Feeding

OBJECTIVES

The elemental diet (ED) is a formula to support nutritional status without increasing chylous burden. This study evaluates the efficacy of early ED feeding after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A prospective phase II study of consecutive patients who underwent PD with early ED feeding was conducted. Patient backgrounds, surgical outcomes, and ED feeding tolerability were compared with a historical cohort of 74 PD patients with early enteral feeding of a low residue diet (LRD).

RESULTS

The ED group comprised 104 patients. No patient in the ED group discontinued enteral feeding because of chylous ascites (CAs), whereas 17.6% of the LRD group experienced refractory CAs that disrupted further enteral feeding. The CAs rate was significantly decreased in the ED group compared with the LRD group (3.9% and 48.7%, respectively; P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the incidence of major complications (ED: 17.3%, LRD: 18.9%; P = 0.844). Postoperative prognostic nutritional index was similar between the 2 groups ( P = 0.764). In multivariate analysis, enteral feeding formula, and sex were independent risk factors for CAs (LRD: P < 0.001, odds ratio, 22.87; female: P = 0.019, odds ratio, 2.78).

CONCLUSIONS

An ED reduces postoperative CAs of patients undergoing PD in the setting of early enteral feeding.

Splenic vein tumor thrombosis is a major prognostic factor in distal pancreatic adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

The prognostic value of splenic vessel involvement in distal pancreatic adenocarcinoma remains controversial. The aim of the study was to assess its prognostic relevance in a large multicenter cohort.

METHODS

Patients who underwent pancreatosplenectomy for distal pancreatic adenocarcinoma were identified from 5 pancreatic surgical centers. A pathology review of the surgical specimens was performed to assess splenic vessel involvement, defined as invasion of the vessel's adventitia or deeper, and confirm the presence of splenic vein tumor thrombosis. Prognostic factors associated with overall and relapse-free survival were evaluated.

RESULTS

149 patients underwent upfront surgery. Splenic vascular involvement was observed in 69 of them (46.3%). A parietal infiltration of the splenic artery or splenic vein was observed in 26 (17.5%) and 49 patients (32.8%), respectively. A pathologic tumor thrombosis of the splenic vein was identified in 22 patients (14.8%) and associated with larger tumors (>20 mm) (P = .023), more perineural (P = .017), and lymphovascular (P = .002) invasion, and more positive lymph node (P = .001). After a median follow-up of 50.8 months (95% confidence interval: 44.3-57.3), the cumulative 5-year overall and relapse-free survival were 46.2% and 33%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, in addition to lymph node metastasis (hazard ratio = 1.8; 95% confidence interval [1.1-3.1]; P = .023) and perineural invasion (hazard ratio = 3.5; 95% confidence interval [1.3-9.7]; P = .016), presence of splenic vein tumor thrombosis was the only splenic vascular involvement that affected independently the overall survival (HR = 2.3; 95% confidence interval [ 1.3-4.3]; P = .006).

CONCLUSION

In resectable distal pancreatic adenocarcinoma, a pathologic tumor thrombosis of the splenic vein is an independent prognostic factor of overall survival. To define the perioperative oncological strategy, a preoperative evaluation of splenic vessel involvement and thrombosis is needed.

Comparison of prognosis and postoperative morbidities between standard pancreaticoduodenectomy and the TRIANGLE technique for resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND

Radical surgery combined with systemic chemotherapy offers the possibility of long-term survival or even cure for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), although tumor recurrence, especially locally, still inhibits the treatment efficacy. The TRIANGLE technique was introduced as an extended dissection procedure to improve the R0 resection rate of borderline resectable or locally advanced PDAC. However, there was a lack of studies concerning postoperative complications and long-term outcomes of this procedure on patients with resectable PDAC.

AIM

To compare the prognosis and postoperative morbidities between standard pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and the TRIANGLE technique for resectable PDAC.

METHODS

Patients with resectable PDAC eligible for PD from our hospital between June 2018 and December 2021 were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. All the patients were divided into PDstandard and PDTRIANGLE groups according to the surgical procedure. Baseline characteristics, surgical data, and postoperative morbidities were recorded. All of the patients were followed up, and the date and location of tumor recurrence, and death were recorded. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used for the survival analysis.

RESULTS

There were 93 patients included in the study and 37 underwent the TRIANGLE technique. Duration of operation was longer in the PDTRIANGLE group compared with the PDstandard group [440 (410-480) min vs 320 (265-427) min] (P = 0.001). Intraoperative blood loss [700 (500-1200) mL vs 500 (300-800) mL] (P = 0.009) and blood transfusion [975 (0-1250) mL vs 400 (0-800) mL] (P = 0.009) were higher in the PDTRIANGLE group. There was a higher incidence of surgical site infection (43.2% vs 12.5%) (P = 0.001) and postoperative diarrhea (54.1% vs 12.5%) (P = 0.001) in the PDTRIANGLE group. The rates of R0 resection and local recurrence, overall survival, and disease-free survival did not differ significantly between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

The TRIANGLE technique is safe, with acceptable postoperative morbidities compared with standardized PD, but it does not improve prognosis for patients with resectable PDAC.

Distal Pancreatectomy: Extent of Resection Determines Surgical Risk Categories

BACKGROUND

Recently, subclassification of pancreatoduodenectomy in 4 differing types has been reported, because additional major vascular and multivisceral resections have been shown to be associated with an increased risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality.

OBJECTIVE

To classify distal pancreatectomy (DP) based on the extent of resection and technical difficulty and to evaluate postoperative outcomes with regards to this classification system.

METHODS

All consecutive patients who had undergone DP between 2001 and 2020 in a high-volume pancreatic surgery center were included in this study. DPs were subclassified into 4 distinct categories reflecting the extent of resection and technical difficulty, including standard DP (type 1), DP with venous (type 2), multivisceral (type 3), or arterial resection (type 4). Patient characteristics, perioperative data, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed and compared among the 4 groups.

RESULTS

A total of 2135 patients underwent DP. Standard DP was the most frequently performed procedure (64.8%). The overall 90-day mortality rate was 1.6%. Morbidity rates were higher in patients with additional vascular or multivisceral resections, and 90-day mortality gradually increased with the extent of resection from standard DP to DP with arterial resection (type 1: 0.7%; type 2: 1.3%; type 3: 3%; type 4: 8.7%; P <0.0001). Multivariable analysis confirmed the type of DP as an independent risk factor for 90-day mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Postoperative outcomes after DP depend on the extent of resection and correlate with the type of DP. The implementation of the 4-type classification system allows standardized reporting of surgical outcomes after DP improving comparability of future studies.

Pancreaticoduodenectomy with superior mesenteric artery first-approach combined total meso-pancreas excision for periampullary malignancies: A high-volume single-center experience with short-term outcomes

Backgrounds/Aims

Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is the only radical treatment for periampullary malignancies. Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) first approach combined with total meso-pancreas (MP) excision was conducted to improve the oncological results. There has not been any previous research of a technique that combines the SMA first approach and total MP excision with a detailed description of the MP macroscopical shape.

Methods

We prospectively assessed 77 patients with periampullary malignancies between October 2020 and March 2022 (18 months). All patients had undergone PD with SMA first approach combined total MP excision. The perioperative indications, clinical data, intra-operative index, R0 resection rate of postoperative pathological specimens (especially mesopancreatic margin), postoperative complications, and follow-up results were evaluated.

Results

The median operative time was 289.6 min (178-540 min), the median intraoperative blood loss was 209 mL (30-1,600 mL). Microscopically, there were 19 (24.7%) cases with metastatic MP, and five cases (6.5%) with R1-resection of the MP. The number of lymph nodes (LNs) harvested and metastatic LNs were 27.2 (maximum was 74) and 1.8 (maximum was 16), respectively. Some (46.8%) patients had pancreatic fistula, but mostly in grade A, with 7 patients (9.1%) who required re-operations. Some 18.2% of cases developed postoperative refractory diarrhea. The rate of in-hospital mortality was 1.3%.

Conclusions

The PD with SMA first approach combined TMpE for periampullary malignancies was effective in achieving superior oncological statistics (rate of MP R0-resection and number of total resected LNs) with non-inferior short-term outcomes. It is necessary to evaluate survival outcomes with long-term follow-up.

Antibiotic prophylaxis with piperacillin-tazobactam reduces organ/space surgical site infection after pancreaticoduodenectomy: a retrospective and propensity score-matched analysis

BACKGROUND

The occurrence of surgical site infection (SSI) after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is still relatively high. The aim of this retrospective study is to evaluate the efficacy of piperacillin-tazobactam as perioperative prophylactic antibiotic on organ/space SSI for patients underwent PD.

METHODS

Four hundred seven consecutive patients who underwent PD between January 2018 and December 2022 were enrolled and analyzed retrospectively. The univariate and multivariate analysis were used to identify independent risk factors of organ/space SSI. Postoperative complications were compared between the two groups according to the use of prophylactic antibiotics by a ratio of 1:1 propensity score-matched (PSM) analysis.

RESULTS

Based on perioperative prophylactic antibiotic use, all 407 patients were divided into the ceftriaxone group (n = 192, 47.2%) and piperacillin-tazobactam group (n = 215, 52.8%). The rate of organ/space SSI was 31.2% with the choice of perioperative antibiotics (OR = 2.837, 95%CI = 1.802-4.465, P < 0.01) as one of independent risk factors. After PSM, there were similar baseline characteristics among the groups. Meanwhile, the piperacillin-tazobactam group had a significant lower rate of organ/space SSI compared to the ceftriaxone group both before and after PSM(P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The adoption of piperacillin-tazobactam as perioperative prophylaxis for patients underwent PD reduced organ/space SSI significantly.

Extended lymphadenectomy based on the TRIANGLE for pancreatic head cancer: a single-center experience

BACKGROUND

This study was to compare the safety and efficacy of different lymphadenectomy methods in patients with pancreatic head cancer undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A total of 150 patients were included in this study. Patients were divided into Group A (n = 79), Group B (n = 44), and Group C (n = 27) according to the different lymphadenectomy methods. The clinical endpoint was time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS). Postoperative complications of different lymphadenectomy methods were compared respectively. TTP and OS of the three groups were compared by Kaplan-Meier curves.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences between the three groups in operative time (P = 0.300), death in the hospital (P = 0.253), postoperative hemorrhage (P = 0.863), postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) B/C (P = 0.306), bile leakage (P = 0.215), intestinal fistula (P = 0.177), lymphatic leakage (P = 0.267), delayed gastric emptying [(DGE) (P = 0.283)], ICU stay (P = 0.506), and postoperative hospital stay [(PHS) (P = 0.810)]. Median TTP in Groups B and C was significantly longer than in Group A (log-rank test, A vs B: P = 0.0005, A vs C: P = 0.0001). Median OS between the three groups has no statistical difference (P = 0.1546).

CONCLUSIONS

Extended lymphadenectomy methods based on the TRIANGLE do not increase perioperative complications significantly and can effectively delay tumor progression in patients with pancreatic head cancer.

Pancreatic resection for metastasis from renal cell carcinoma: A single institution experience and meta-analysis of survival outcomes

AIMS

To evaluate short-term clinical and long-term survival outcomes of pancreatic resection for pancreatic metastasis from renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

METHODS

A retrospective evaluation of patients undergoing pancreatic resection for metastasis from RCC over a 12-years period was conducted. Furthermore, a systematic search of electronic data sources and bibliographic reference lists were conducted to identify studies investigating the same clinical question. Short-term clinical and long-term survival outcomes were evaluated. Kaplan-Meier survival plots were constructed for survival outcomes. Cox-proportional regression analysis was performed to determine factors associated with survival. Finally, meta-analysis of survival outcomes was conducted using random-effects modelling.

RESULTS

Eighteen patients underwent pancreatic resections for RCC pancreatic metastasis within the study period. The mean age of the included patients was 63.8 ± 8.0 years. There were 10(55.6 %) male and 8(44.4 %) female patients. Pancreatectomy was associated with 4(25.0 %) Clavien-Dindo (C-D) I, 5(31.3 %) C-D II, and 7(43.7 %) C-D III complications, 7(38.8 %) pancreatic fistula, 3(16.7 %) post-pancreatectomy acute pancreatitis, 1(5.6 %) delayed gastric emptying, and 1(5.6 %) chyle leak. The mean length of hospital stay was 18 ± 16.3 days. The median survival was 64 months (95 % CI 60-78). The 3-and 5-year disease-free survival rates were 83.3 % and 55.5 %, respectively. The 3-and 5-year survival rates were 100 % and 55.6 %, respectively. The pooled analyses of 553 patients demonstrated 3-and 5-year survival rates of 77.6 % and 60.7 %, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Pancreatectomy for RCC metastasis is associated with acceptable short-term clinical and promising long-term survival outcomes. Considering the rarity of the entity, escalation of level of evidence in this context is challenging.

Association of cephalosporin resistance in intraoperative biliary cultures with surgical site infections in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy. A retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of bacterobilia at the time of a pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and the association of resistant bacteria in bile to surgical site infections (SSI).

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study including patients undergoing PD in a single center between May 2016 and October 2020. Data of preoperative biliary drainage (PBD), intraoperative biliary cultures (IBC) and postoperative complications were analysed to assess the risk factors for resistant bacteria in IBC and SSIs.

RESULTS

Of 361 patients included, 254 (70%) had undergone PBD. Second-generation cephalosporin resistant bacteria were found in IBC of 183 (64%) of all the patients. PBD was the only risk factor for second-generation cephalosporin resistance. The risk for second-generation cephalosporin resistance was more than 20-fold in patients with PBD [n = 170/254 (67%) (OR 22.58 (95% CI, 9.61-53.01), p < 0.001)] compared to patients who did not have PBD (n = 13/107 (12%)). Also, if the time between PBD and surgery was 2 months or more the second-generation cephalosporin resistance in IBC increased the risk for SSIs (OR 4.14 (95% CI, 1.18-14.51), p = 0.027).

CONCLUSION

The second-generation cephalosporin resistance in IBC is common in patients who have undergone PBD. Broad-spectrum antibiotics in prophylaxis may be beneficial for these patients.

Post-operative chyle leak following nephrectomy: Inference from tertiary care center and review of literature

OBJECTIVES

Lymphatic channels (LC) are not as prominent as blood vessels, so they tend to get damaged during surgical procedures. It can present with chyle leak in the postoperative period. We aimed to study the occurrence of chyle leak in patients undergoing nephrectomy and its management.

METHODS

During the period of January 2021 and January 2023, 158 adult patients underwent nephrectomy for various reasons like non-functioning kidney, donor nephrectomy, and malignancy. We retrospectively analyzed data of patients who had chyle leak after nephrectomies.

RESULTS

Eight patients out of the 158 patients (5.06%) undergoing nephrectomy developed chyle leak. One out of these eight patients underwent nephrectomy by open approach while seven underwent laparoscopic approach. All eight patients who had chyle leak undergone left sided nephrectomy. Six patients of chyle leak could be managed with dietary modification while two patients needed octreotide therapy for treatment. Higher Body Mass Index (BMI; p-value = 0.012), left sides nephrectomy (p-value = 0.013), h/o pyelonephritis (p-value = 0.005) were associated with higher incidence of chyle leak on univariate analysis. While on multivariate analysis no factor was found to be independently associated with chyle leak. Hospital stay was significantly prolonged in patients with chyle leak (p-value = 0.007).

CONCLUSION

Chyle leak is not a very rare complication after nephrectomy. Patients with higher BMI, who undergo left sided nephrectomies and patients who had history of pyelonephritis or infectious complications had higher incidence of chyle leak. Most cases can be managed with conservative management (CM). Chyle leak is associated with a prolonged hospital stay.

Survival and surgical outcomes of robotic versus open pancreatoduodenectomy for ampullary cancer: A propensity score-matching comparison

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

Robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy in ampullary cancer has never been studied. This study aimed to clarify the feasibility and justification of robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy in ampullary cancer in terms of surgical risks, and oncologic and survival outcomes.

METHODS

A propensity score-matching comparison of robotic and open pancreaticoduodenectomy based on seven factors commonly used to predict the survival outcomes in ampullary cancer patients.

RESULTS

A total of 147 patients were enrolled, of which 101 and 46 underwent robotic and open pancreaticoduodenectomies, respectively. After propensity score-matching with a 2:1 ratio, 88 and 44 patients in the robotic and open pancreaticoduodenectomy groups were included. The operation time was of no significant difference after matching. The median intraoperative blood loss was much less in those who underwent robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy, both before (median, 120 vs. 320 c.c. P < 0.001) and after (100 vs. 335 mL P < 0.001) score-matching. There were no significant differences in terms of surgical risks, including surgical mortality, surgical morbidity, Clavien-Dindo severity classification, postoperative pancreatic fistula, delayed gastric emptying, post-pancreatectomy hemorrhage, chyle leak, bile leak, and wound infection, both before or after score-matching. The survival outcomes were also similar between the two groups, regardless of matching.

CONCLUSIONS

Robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy for ampullary cancer is not only technically feasible and safe without increasing surgical risks, but also oncologically justifiable without compromising surgical radicality and survival outcomes.

Reappraisal of surgical and survival outcomes of 500 consecutive cases of robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND

The role of the robotic approach for pancreaticoduodenectomy has not been well established with robust data. This study aimed to reappraise feasibility and justification of robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (RPD) over time.

METHODS

A total of 500 patients undergoing RPD were enrolled and divided into early (first 250 patients) and late (last 250 patients) groups for a comparative study.

RESULTS

The conversion rate was 8.8% overall and was significantly lower in the late group (5.6% vs. 12.0%; p = .012). The overall median intraoperative blood loss was 130 mL. Radicality of resection was similar between early and late groups. The overall surgical mortality after RPD was 1.3%. The overall surgical morbidity and major complication was 44.1% and 13.2%, respectively, and similar between early and late groups. Chyle leakage was the most common complication after RPD (25.0%), followed by postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF). The POPF rate was 8.6% overall, with 5.9% in the early group and 11.0% in the late group, p = .051. The overall delayed gastric emptying rate was 3.5%. The late group had better survival outcomes than those of the early group after RPD for ampullary adenocarcinoma (p = .027) but not for pancreatic head adenocarcinoma.

CONCLUSIONS

Reappraisal of this study has confirmed that RPD is not only technically feasible without increasing surgical risks but also oncologically justified without compromising survival outcomes for both pancreatic head and other periampullary cancers over time. Moreover, RPD is associated with the benefits of low surgical mortality, blood loss, and delayed gastric emptying.

Radiological classification of the Heidelberg triangle and its application in laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy for malignancies

BACKGROUND

The TRIANGLE operation benefits patients with pancreatic cancer; however, the Heidelberg triangle, where the operation occurs, contains vessels that can impact safety, especially in laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) with the TRIANGLE operation. This study aimed to identify Heidelberg triangle vessel types and their implications in pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD).

METHODS

Retrospective collection of radiographic data was performed from January 2017 to April 2023. Three-dimensional (3D) CT reconstructions were performed on patients. Vascular types in the Heidelberg triangle were classified based on named vessels crossing its interior. The impact of these types on surgical outcomes and complications in PD with the TRIANGLE operation was assessed.

RESULTS

Preoperative CT reconstruction was conducted on 184 pancreatic surgery patients. The findings revealed 99 patients (53.8%) with the type I Heidelberg triangle, lacking named vessels crossing the interior. Type II (n = 85, 46.2%), with named vessels crossing the interior, was identified. Among reconstructed patients who underwent PD with the TRIANGLE operation (n = 103), they were categorized as type I (n = 57) or type II (n = 46). The results showed that LPD patients with type II had significantly higher median intraoperative blood loss (300 mL vs. 200 mL, P = 0.030) and mean examined lymph nodes (17.2 ± 7.6 vs. 13.4 ± 5.2, P = 0.019) compared to those with type I. No significant differences were found in operative time or postoperative complications.

CONCLUSION

The presence of named vessels crossing the interior of the Heidelberg triangle was associated with increased intraoperative bleeding during LPD combined with the TRIANGLE operation. Therefore, targeted preoperative planning is required before the operation, thus improving the safety of the TRIANGLE operation in minimally invasive surgery.

Impact of extra-ampullary duodenal adenocarcinoma subtypes on surgical and oncological outcomes following pancreaticoduodenectomy

BACKGROUND

There is little information about the relevance of extra-ampullary duodenal adenocarcinoma (EDA) subtypes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of EDA subtypes on surgical and oncological outcomes following pancreatoduodenectomy (PD).

METHODS

Consecutive patients undergoing PD for EDA from 2000 to 2019 were analyzed. Results were stratified by pathologic subtype (intestinal versus non-intestinal). Uni-and multivariable analyses were performed using standard statistical methods.

RESULTS

The study population consisted of 70 patients, of whom 49 (70%) had an intestinal phenotype. EDA with intestinal phenotype was more frequently proximal to the Ampulla of Vater, while non-intestinal EDA was more frequently found distally (76% vs. 33%, p = 0.002). Patients with intestinal EDA were less likely to experience severe morbidity, with decreased reoperation and unplanned Intensive Care Unit admission rates relative to non-intestinal subtypes (2% vs. 29% p = 0.002, and 2% vs. 19%, p = 0.007, respectively). The median follow-up post-pancreatectomy was 73 months. Intestinal EDA was associated with improved overall and disease-free survival, with 3-year and 5-year survival rates of 71% vs. 29% and 53% vs. 24%, respectively. (p = 0.019 and p = 0.025).

CONCLUSION

Intestinal-type EDA, which more often arises from supra-ampullary duodenum, was associated with better postoperative outcomes and improved survival.

Short-Term Outcomes Following Laparoscopic vs Open Pancreaticoduodenectomy in Patients With Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance

The safety and efficacy of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma remain controversial.

Objective

To compare laparoscopic and open pancreaticoduodenectomy performed by experienced surgeons in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This was a noninferiority, open-label randomized clinical trial between September 20, 2019 and March 20, 2022, at 10 hospitals in China. A total of 412 adult patients were assessed for eligibility; 200 patients with histologically confirmed or clinically diagnosed pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who were eligible to undergo pancreaticoduodenectomy were enrolled. Study recruitment is complete, and follow-up is ongoing. This article reports prespecified early safety results from the trial.

Interventions

Participants were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to undergo either laparoscopic or open pancreaticoduodenectomy, to be performed by experienced surgeons who had already performed at least 104 laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy operations.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary end point is 5-year overall survival, but the data for this end point are not yet mature; thus, secondary short-term outcomes, including operative findings, complications, mortality, and oncological results are reported here. The outcomes were analyzed according to a modified intention-to-treat and per-protocol principle.

Results

Among 412 patients for eligibility, 200 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned 1:1 to have laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy or open pancreaticoduodenectomy. The mean (SD) age was 61.3 (9.3) years, and 78 participants (39%) were female. Laparoscopic procedures had longer operative times (median [IQR], 330.0 [287.5-405.0] minutes vs 297.0 [245.0-340.0] minutes; P < .001). Patients in the laparoscopic group lost less blood than those in the open group (median [IQR], 145.0 [100.0-200.0] mL vs 200.0 [100.0-425.0] mL; P = .02). Ninety-day mortality occurred in 2 of 100 patients in the laparoscopic group and 0 of 100 patients in the open group. There was no difference in the rates of complications of the Clavien-Dindo grades III-IV (n = 17 [17.0%] vs n = 23 [23.0%]; P = .29), comprehensive complication index (median [IQR], 0.0 [0.0-22.6] vs 8.7 [0.0-26.2]; P = .79) or median (IQR) postoperative length of stay (14.0 [11.0-17.0] days vs 14.0 [12.0-18.5] days; P = .37) between the 2 groups.

Conclusions and Relevance

Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy performed by experienced surgeons in high-volume specialized institutions resulted in similar short-term outcomes compared with open pancreaticoduodenectomy among patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03785743.

Utility of 99mTc-Sulfur Colloid Lymphoscintigraphy and SPECT/CT in Chylothorax and Chylous Ascites

Purpose

To assess the diagnostic efficacy of 99mTc-sulfur colloid lymphoscintigraphy in chylothorax and chylous ascites, and the utility of single-photon emission computed tomography-computed tomography (SPECT/CT) in localizing the sites of leaks.

Methods

Data from patients who underwent lymphoscintigraphy for clinical suspicion of chylothorax or chylous ascites were retrospectively analyzed. Biochemical fluid analysis was taken as the reference standard. Pleural fluid triglyceride level > 110 mg/dL (with pleural fluid/serum ratio > 1) and a cholesterol level < 200 mg/dL (with pleural fluid/serum ratio < 1) were considered confirmatory for chylothorax. Ascitic fluid triglyceride level > 200 mg/dL with a low cholesterol level (ascites fluid/serum ratio < 1) was considered confirmatory for chylous ascites.

Results

26 patients (15 males, 57.7%) aged 9 months to 68 years were enrolled in the study. Based on the reference standard, 17 had chylothorax or chylous ascites (9 with surgical history). Lymphoscintigraphy was positive in 16 (with 1 false positive) and negative in 10 (with 2 false negatives). The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, positive predictive value, and accuracy of lymphoscintigraphy were 88.2% (63.6-98.5%), 88.9% (51.8-99.7%), 80.0% (51.6-93.8%), 93.8% (70.1-99.0%), and 88.5% (69.9-97.6%), respectively. SPECT/CT could localize sites of leaks in 61.5% (8/13) with a localization rate of 77.8% (7/9) and 25.0% (1/4) in patients with surgical and nonsurgical causes, respectively.

Conclusion

99mTc-sulfur colloid lymphoscintigraphy is a highly efficacious noninvasive modality to diagnose chylothorax or chylous ascites with a high positive predictive value. SPECT/CT could localize the sites of leaks more frequently in patients with surgical causes.

The Feasibility, Proficiency, and Mastery Learning Curves in 635 Robotic Pancreatoduodenectomies Following a Multicenter Training Program: "Standing on the Shoulders of Giants"

OBJECTIVE

To assess the feasibility, proficiency, and mastery learning curves for robotic pancreatoduodenectomy (RPD) in "second-generation" RPD centers following a multicenter training program adhering to the IDEAL framework.

BACKGROUND

The long learning curves for RPD reported from "pioneering" expert centers may discourage centers interested in starting an RPD program. However, the feasibility, proficiency, and mastery learning curves may be shorter in "second-generation" centers that participated in dedicated RPD training programs, although data are lacking. We report on the learning curves for RPD in "second-generation" centers trained in a dedicated nationwide program.

METHODS

Post hoc analysis of all consecutive patients undergoing RPD in 7 centers that participated in the LAELAPS-3 training program, each with a minimum annual volume of 50 pancreatoduodenectomies, using the mandatory Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Audit (March 2016-December 2021). Cumulative sum analysis determined cutoffs for the 3 learning curves: operative time for the feasibility (1) risk-adjusted major complication (Clavien-Dindo grade ≥III) for the proficiency, (2) and textbook outcome for the mastery, (3) learning curve. Outcomes before and after the cutoffs were compared for the proficiency and mastery learning curves. A survey was used to assess changes in practice and the most valued "lessons learned."

RESULTS

Overall, 635 RPD were performed by 17 trained surgeons, with a conversion rate of 6.6% (n=42). The median annual volume of RPD per center was 22.5±6.8. From 2016 to 2021, the nationwide annual use of RPD increased from 0% to 23% whereas the use of laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy decreased from 15% to 0%. The rate of major complications was 36.9% (n=234), surgical site infection 6.3% (n=40), postoperative pancreatic fistula (grade B/C) 26.9% (n=171), and 30-day/in-hospital mortality 3.5% (n=22). Cutoffs for the feasibility, proficiency, and mastery learning curves were reached at 15, 62, and 84 RPD. Major morbidity and 30-day/in-hospital mortality did not differ significantly before and after the cutoffs for the proficiency and mastery learning curves. Previous experience in laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy shortened the feasibility (-12 RPDs, -44%), proficiency (-32 RPDs, -34%), and mastery phase learning curve (-34 RPDs, -23%), but did not improve clinical outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

The feasibility, proficiency, and mastery learning curves for RPD at 15, 62, and 84 procedures in "second-generation" centers after a multicenter training program were considerably shorter than previously reported from "pioneering" expert centers. The learning curve cutoffs and prior laparoscopic experience did not impact major morbidity and mortality. These findings demonstrate the safety and value of a nationwide training program for RPD in centers with sufficient volume.

A modified Blumgart anastomosis with a simple and practicable procedure after laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy: our center's experience

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy(LPD) has become the goal of lots of minimally invasive surgical centers in recent years. Postoperative pancreatic fistula(POPF) is still the barrier to attaining the above goal. Thus, improving anastomosis techniques to reduce the rate of POPF has been a hotspot of surgery. Blumgart pancreaticojejunostomy is considered one of the best anastomosis procedures, with low rates of POPF. However, the original Blumgart pancreaticojejunostomy method is not easy for laparoscopic operation. In consequence, we modified a Blumgart pancreaticojejunostomy technique with a simple and practicable procedure and applied to LPD.

METHODS

We collected and retrospectively analyzed the perioperative clinical data of patients who underwent modified Blumgart anastomosis from February 2017 to September 2022. The above patients included 53 cases in open pancreaticojejunostomy(OPD) and 58 cases in LPD. After propensity score matching, 44 cases were included for comparison in each group.

RESULTS

After propensity score matching, the average time for pancreaticojejunostomy was about 30 min in the LPD group. The Clinically relevant POPF(CR-POPF) rate was 9.1%. The length of postoperative hospitalization was 13.1 days. Compared with the OPD group, The CR-POPF rate in the LPD group are not significant differences. But the postoperative length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the LPD group. Besides, there were no other severely postoperative complications between two groups.

CONCLUSION

The modified Blumgart anastomosis technique applied to LPD in our Center not only has simple and convenient properties but also low rate of CR-POPF. And this method may be a good choice for surgeons to begin to carry out LPD.

The cholinesterase and C-reactive protein score is a potential predictor of pseudoaneurysm formation after pancreaticoduodenectomy in patients with soft pancreas

BACKGROUND

Pseudoaneurysm (PA) rupture after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is a life-threatening complication. Most PA cases originate from postoperative pancreatic fistulas (POPFs). Although several risk factors for POPF have been identified, specific risk factors for PA formation remain unclear. Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed PD cases with soft pancreas and proposed a novel strategy for early detection of PA formation.

METHODS

Overall, 120 patients underwent PD between 2010 and 2020 at our institution; of these, 65 patients with soft pancreas were enrolled. We evaluated the clinicopathological factors influencing PA formation and developed a risk score to predict PA formation.

RESULTS

In total, 11 of the 65 patients developed PAs (PA formation group: PAG), and 8 of these 11 PAs ruptured. The median time to PA formation was 15 days, with a minimum of 5 days. The PAG was significantly older than the non-PA formation group, were predominantly men, and had comorbid diabetes mellitus. Pre- and intra-operative findings were similar between the two groups. Importantly, no significant differences were found in postoperative drain amylase levels and total drain amylase content. Cholinesterase and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels on postoperative day (POD) 3 were significantly different between the two groups. Multivariate analysis showed that cholinesterase ≤ 112 U/L and CRP ≥ 16.0 mg/dl on POD 3 were independent predictors of PA formation.

CONCLUSIONS

Decreased cholinesterase and elevated CRP on POD 3 (Cho-C score) are useful predictors of PA formation in cases with soft pancreas. In such cases, periodic computed tomography evaluations and strict drain management are necessary to prevent life-threatening hemorrhage.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. PARA-AORTIC LYMPH NODES SAMPLING DURING PANCREATODUODENECTOMY FOR PANCREATIC CANCER

BACKGROUND

Para-aortic lymph nodes involvement in pancreatic head cancer has been described as an independent adverse prognostic factor. To avoid futile pancreatic resection, we systematically perform para-aortic lymphadenectomy as a first step.

AIMS

To describe our technique for para-aortic lymphadenectomy.

METHODS

A 77-year-old female patient, with jaundice and resectable pancreatic head adenocarcinoma, underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy associated with infracolic lymphadenectomy.

RESULTS

The infracolic anterior technique has two main advantages. It is faster and prevents the formation of postoperative adhesions, which can make subsequent surgical interventions more difficult.

CONCLUSIONS

We recommend systematic para-aortic lymphadenectomy as the first step of pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic head adenocarcinoma by this approach.

Lymphatic Embolization for the Management of Post-operative Chyle Leaks Following Solid Tumor Resection in Pediatric Patients

BACKGROUND

Chyle leaks are a common post-operative complication following solid-tumor resection in pediatric patients. Current treatments for persistent chyle leaks are limited, leading many patients to experience prolonged hospitalization, nutritional deficits and/or delays in cancer therapies. Lymphatic embolization is an emerging treatment option for chyle leaks, however, limited reports exist of its use in pediatric populations.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective review of pediatric patients (<18) who underwent lymphangiogram with intent for lymphatic embolization for the management of chyle leaks following solid-tumor resection between 2017 and 2022.

RESULTS

Seven patients underwent a total of 11 attempted lymphatic embolization procedures after current standard of care treatments failed to resolve the leak. Lymphangiograms identified a chyle leak in 6 of 7 patients and embolization had a technical success rate of 73%. The complication rate was 9% and complications were limited to one episode of inadvertent gastric wall perforation that did not result in a gastric leak. Lymphatic embolization was ultimately associated with chyle leak resolution in 100% of patients within a median of 24 days, however, repeat embolization was required in 5 of 7 patients (83%).

CONCLUSION

Lymphatic embolization appears to be a safe and effective treatment for persistent chyle leaks in pediatric patients, leads to a direction reduction in chyle output, and has high rates of technical and clinical success. Complete resolution of the chyle leak may require multiple embolization procedures. Further work is needed to determine whether earlier intervention may offer benefit for the management of pediatric chyle leaks.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

Achievement of benchmark outcomes by a young surgical attendant performing pancreatoduodenectomies

PURPOSE

Pancreatoduodenectomy is a challenging procedure for young general surgeons, and no benchmark outcomes are currently available for young surgeons who have independently performed pancreatoduodenectomies after completing resident training. This study aimed to identify the competency of a young surgeon in performing pancreatoduodenectomies, while ensuring patient safety, from the first case following certification by a General Surgical Board.

METHODS

A retrospective review of data from the university hospital was performed to assess quality outcomes of a young surgical attendant who performed 150 open pancreatoduodenectomies between July 13, 2006, and July 13, 2020. Primary benchmark outcomes were hospital morbidity, mortality, postoperative pancreatic fistula, postoperative hospital stay, and disease-free survival.

RESULTS

All benchmark outcomes were achieved by the young surgeon. The 90-day mortality rate was 2.7%, and one patient expired in the hospital (0.7% in-hospital mortality). The overall morbidity rate was 34.7%. Postoperative pancreatic fistula grades B and C were observed in 5.3% and 0% of patients, respectively. The median postoperative hospital stay was 14 days. The 1- and 3-year disease-free survival were 71.3% and 51.4%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Pancreatoduodenectomy requires good standards of care as it is associated with high morbidity and mortality. As only one surgeon could be included in this study, our benchmark outcomes must be compared with those of other institutions.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was registered at Thai Clinical Trials Registry and approved by the United Nations (registration identification TCTR20220714002).

Minimally invasive versus open pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic and peri-ampullary neoplasm (DIPLOMA-2): study protocol for an international multicenter patient-blinded randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy (MIPD) aims to reduce the negative impact of surgery as compared to open pancreatoduodenectomy (OPD) and is increasingly becoming part of clinical practice for selected patients worldwide. However, the safety of MIPD remains a topic of debate and the potential shorter time to functional recovery needs to be confirmed. To guide safe implementation of MIPD, large-scale international randomized trials comparing MIPD and OPD in experienced high-volume centers are needed. We hypothesize that MIPD is non-inferior in terms of overall complications, but superior regarding time to functional recovery, as compared to OPD.

METHODS/DESIGN

The DIPLOMA-2 trial is an international randomized controlled, patient-blinded, non-inferiority trial performed in 14 high-volume pancreatic centers in Europe with a minimum annual volume of 30 MIPD and 30 OPD. A total of 288 patients with an indication for elective pancreatoduodenectomy for pre-malignant and malignant disease, eligible for both open and minimally invasive approach, are randomly allocated for MIPD or OPD in a 2:1 ratio. Centers perform either laparoscopic or robot-assisted MIPD based on their surgical expertise. The primary outcome is the Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI®), measuring all complications graded according to the Clavien-Dindo classification up to 90 days after surgery. The sample size is calculated with the following assumptions: 2.5% one-sided significance level (α), 80% power (1-β), expected difference of the mean CCI® score of 0 points between MIPD and OPD, and a non-inferiority margin of 7.5 points. The main secondary outcome is time to functional recovery, which will be analyzed for superiority. Other secondary outcomes include post-operative 90-day Fitbit™ measured activity, operative outcomes (e.g., blood loss, operative time, conversion to open surgery, surgeon-reported outcomes), oncological findings in case of malignancy (e.g., R0-resection rate, time to adjuvant treatment, survival), postoperative outcomes (e.g., clinically relevant complications), healthcare resource utilization (length of stay, readmissions, intensive care stay), quality of life, and costs. Postoperative follow-up is up to 36 months.

DISCUSSION

The DIPLOMA-2 trial aims to establish the safety of MIPD as the new standard of care for this selected patient population undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy in high-volume centers, ultimately aiming for superior patient recovery.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ISRCTN27483786. Registered on August 2, 2023.

Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided Radiofrequency Ablation Versus Surgical Resection for Treatment of Pancreatic Insulinoma

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (EUS-RFA) is emerging as a safe and effective treatment for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. We aimed to compare EUS-RFA and surgical resection for the treatment of pancreatic insulinoma (PI).

METHODS

Patients with sporadic PI who underwent EUS-RFA at 23 centers or surgical resection at 8 high-volume pancreatic surgery institutions between 2014 and 2022 were retrospectively identified and outcomes compared using a propensity-matching analysis. Primary outcome was safety. Secondary outcomes were clinical efficacy, hospital stay, and recurrence rate after EUS-RFA.

RESULTS

Using propensity score matching, 89 patients were allocated in each group (1:1), and were evenly distributed in terms of age, sex, Charlson comorbidity index, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, body mass index, distance between lesion and main pancreatic duct, lesion site, size, and grade. Adverse event (AE) rate was 18.0% and 61.8% after EUS-RFA and surgery, respectively (P < .001). No severe AEs were observed in the EUS-RFA group compared with 15.7% after surgery (P < .0001). Clinical efficacy was 100% after surgery and 95.5% after EUS-RFA (P = .160). However, the mean duration of follow-up time was shorter in the EUS-RFA group (median, 23 months; interquartile range, 14-31 months vs 37 months; interquartile range, 17.5-67 months in the surgical group; P < .0001). Hospital stay was significantly longer in the surgical group (11.1 ± 9.7 vs 3.0 ± 2.5 days in the EUS-RFA group; P < .0001). Fifteen lesions (16.9%) recurred after EUS-RFA and underwent a successful repeat EUS-RFA (11 patients) or surgical resection (4 patients).

CONCLUSION

EUS-RFA is safer than surgery and highly effective for the treatment of PI. If confirmed in a randomized study, EUS-RFA treatment can become first-line therapy for sporadic PI.

Comparative outcomes of extended distal pancreatectomy and distal pancreatectomy

PURPOSE

Patients with locally advanced pancreatic body/tail tumors, gastric cancer, or colon cancer often have contiguous organ involvement requiring extensive pancreatic resection. This study was performed to compare surgical complications and the incidence of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) between distal pancreatectomy (DP) with extended organ resection and standard DP.

METHODS

In total, 128 patients who underwent DP from January 2012 to January 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Extended DP was defined according to the International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery definition.

RESULTS

Of the 128 patients, 62 (48.4%) underwent extended DP and 66 (51.6%) underwent DP. Blood loss was greater (p < 0.001), the incidence of major complications was higher (p = 0.032), and the hospital stay was longer (p = 0.002) in the extended DP group than in the DP group. There were no differences in the incidence of CR-POPF, the readmission rate, or the need for postoperative intervention drainage. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that extended DP was not a risk factor for CR-POPF or major complications.

CONCLUSION

Extended DP can be performed with comparable CR-POPF occurrence and mortality but increased morbidity when compared with standard DP.

Study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial to compare radiofrequency ablation with surgical resection for treatment of pancreatic insulinoma

BACKGROUND

Insulinoma is the most common functional pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor and treatment is required to address symptoms associated with insulin hypersecretion. Surgical resection is effective but burdened by high rate of adverse events (AEs). Endoscopic ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (EUS-RFA) demonstrated encouraging results in terms of safety and efficacy for the management of these tumors. However, studies comparing surgery and EUS-RFA are lacking.

AIMS

The primary aim is to compare EUS-RFA with surgery in term of safety (overall rate of AEs). Secondary endpoints include: (a) severe AEs rate; (b) clinical effectiveness; (c) patient's quality of life; (d) length of hospital stay; (e) rate of local/distance recurrence; (f) need of reintervention; (g) rate of endocrine and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency; (h) factors associated with EUS-RFA related AEs and clinical effectiveness.

METHODS

ERASIN-RCT is an international randomized superiority ongoing trial in four countries. Sixty patients will be randomized in two arms (EUS-RFA vs surgery) and outcomes compared. Two EUS-RFA sessions will be allowed to achieve symptoms resolution. Randomization and data collection will be performed online.

DISCUSSION

This study will ascertain if EUS-RFA can become the first-line therapy for management of small, sporadic, pancreatic insulinoma and be included in a step-up approach in case of clinical failure.

Thoracic duct stent treatment for chyle leak after nephrectomy

Chyle leak is a rare and serious condition caused by damaged lymphatic vessels. It can occur after retroperitoneal surgery involving extensive lymphadenectomy for kidney cancer. Besides lymphatic channel damage, the obstruction of the thoracic duct worsens the leakage. Managing patients with thoracic duct obstruction and postsurgical chyle leakage is challenging due to limited data on how to handle this condition. In this case report, a 28-year-old female patient underwent left nephrectomy for left kidney cancer. Three days after the surgery, milky fluid drained from the left renal fossa. Conservative treatment failed, and further examination through magnetic resonance lymphangiography revealed the absence of the thoracic duct and contrast extravasation at the left renal fossa. Lymphangiography confirmed distal thoracic duct obstruction. The patient's condition was successfully managed by using thoracic duct stenting. This report contributes to the understanding that thoracic duct obstruction can lead to lymphatic collateral circulation within the abdomen, thereby increasing the risk of postoperative chylous leak.

Prospective minimally invasive pancreatic resections from the IGOMIPS registry: a snapshot of daily practice in Italy on 1191 between 2019 and 2022

This retrospective analysis of the prospective IGOMIPS registry reports on 1191 minimally invasive pancreatic resections (MIPR) performed in Italy between 2019 and 2022, including 668 distal pancreatectomies (DP) (55.7%), 435 pancreatoduodenectomies (PD) (36.3%), 44 total pancreatectomies (3.7%), 36 tumor enucleations (3.0%), and 8 central pancreatectomies (0.7%). Spleen-preserving DP was performed in 109 patients (16.3%). Overall incidence of severe complications (Clavien-Dindo ≥ 3) was 17.6% with a 90-day mortality of 1.9%. This registry analysis provided some important information. First, robotic assistance was preferred for all MIPR but DP with splenectomy. Second, robotic assistance reduced conversion to open surgery and blood loss in comparison to laparoscopy. Robotic PD was also associated with lower incidence of severe postoperative complications and a trend toward lower mortality. Fourth, the annual cut-off of ≥ 20 MIPR and ≥ 20 MIPD improved selected outcome measures. Fifth, most MIPR were performed by a single surgeon. Sixth, only two-thirds of the centers performed spleen-preserving DP. Seventh, DP with splenectomy was associated with higher conversion rate when compared to spleen-preserving DP. Eighth, the use of pancreatojejunostomy was the prevalent reconstruction in PD. Ninth, final histology was similar for MIPR performed at high- and low-volume centers, but neoadjuvant chemotherapy was used more frequently at high-volume centers. Finally, this registry analysis raises important concerns about the reliability of R1 assessment underscoring the importance of standardized pathology of pancreatic specimens. In conclusion, MIPR can be safely implemented on a national scale. Further analyses are required to understand nuances of implementation of MIPR in Italy.

Implementation of ERAS in pancreaticoduodenectomy in an Australian tertiary centre

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Recent studies have demonstrated that enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols in pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) may decrease morbidity and length of stay. This study aimed to critically assess the implementation of ERAS in patients who have undergone a PD in a tertiary centre.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of all patients who underwent a PD prior to ERAS, compared to following implementation were assessed. Outcome measures of length of stay, morbidity, mortality and readmission rates between the two groups were evaluated.

RESULTS

169 patients were included in the study (pre-ERAS, n = 29; stage 1, n = 14; stage 2, n = 53, stage 3, n = 73) with mean age of 64 ± 11.3 years. ERAS significantly increased the proportion of patients reaching the target length of stay of nine days (P = 0.017). It did not significantly impact overall mortality, morbidity, radiological intervention, reoperation or readmission (P > 0.05). ERAS did not have a significant impact on development of pancreatic fistula, ileus, infection or haemorrhage (P > 0.05). ERAS did significantly reduce rates of delayed gastric emptying (DGE) from 82.8% pre-ERAS to 49.0% in the stage 2 of implementation phase (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The early implementation of the ERAS programme was safe although some obstacles were encountered. ERAS was beneficial in increasing the proportion of patients reaching the target length of stay without increasing readmission, reoperation, or morbidity. Our findings support the continued development of ERAS in PD in order to standardise care and improve patient recovery.