Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy for solid-pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas

Laparoscopic Resection of Pediatric Solid Pseudopapillary Tumors of the Pancreas

BACKGROUND

Solid pseudopapillary tumors (SPTs) of the pancreas arise rarely in children, are often large, and can associate intimately with splenic vessels. Splenic preservation is a fundamental consideration when resecting distal SPT. Occasionally, the main splenic vessels must be divided to resect the SPT with negative margins, but the spleen can be preserved if the short gastric vessels remain intact (ie, Warshaw procedure). The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes of distal pancreatectomy (DP) for SPT in children and to highlight 2 cases of splenic preservation using the Warshaw procedure.

METHODS

Patients 19 years and younger who were treated at a single children's hospital between July 2004 and January 2021 were examined. Patient characteristics were collected from the electronic medical record. A pediatric radiologist calculated SPT and pre- and post-operative (ie, non-infarcted) splenic volumes.

RESULTS

Eleven patients received DP for SPT. Six DPs were performed open and 5 laparoscopically. The spleen was preserved in 3 open and 4 laparoscopic DPs. A laparoscopic Warshaw procedure was performed in 2 patients. Laparoscopic resection associated with less frequent epidural use (P = .015), shorter time to full diet (P = .030), and post-operative length of stay (P = .009), compared to open resection. Average residual splenic volume after the laparoscopic Warshaw procedure was 70% of preoperative volume.

DISCUSSION

Laparoscopic DP for pediatric SPT achieved similar oncologic goals to open resection. Splenic preservation was feasible with laparoscopy in most cases and was successfully supplemented with the Warshaw procedure, which has not been previously reported for SPT resection in children.

A Review of Clinicopathological Characteristics and Treatment of Solid Pseudopapillary Tumor of the Pancreas with 2450 Cases in Chinese Population

Background

Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas (SPTP) has been reported as a rare disease with low malignant potential. The aim of this study was to summarize experiences of the diagnosis and treatment for the patients reported in the Chinese population.

Method

2450 SPTP cases reported in English and Chinese literature before Jan 2020 were for our review and analysis retrospectively.

Result

There are 389 male cases and 2061 female cases, and the ratio of male/female was 1 : 5.3. The average age was 29.3 years. The main clinical symptoms were upper abdominal pain and bloating discomfort in 51.6% of the cases and epigastric mass. 38.6% of the tumor was located at the head of the pancreas and 55.4% at the body and tail of the pancreas. The most frequent operative styles were tumor enucleation (38.4%). Pathology showed that the average diameter of the tumor was 8.2 cm and 12.3% of SPTP was malignant. 98.3% of cases had favorable survival.

Conclusions

SPTP is a rare indolent tumor occurring mainly in young women, and the main clinical performances are abdominal mass and abdominal pain; most tumors are distributed at the head and the tail of the pancreas; the prognosis after complete resection is excellent.

Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Minimally Invasive Pancreatectomies for Solid Pseudopapillary Neoplasms of the Pancreas

OBJECTIVES

We report the first systematic review and meta-analysis on minimally invasive pancreatectomy (MIP) for solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPPN) of the pancreas.

METHODS

A systematic review of all studies reporting patient characteristics and outcomes of MIP for SPPN was conducted.

RESULTS

We reviewed 27 studies comprising 149 patients with SPPN managed via MIP. Five were comparative retrospective cohort studies, comprising 46 and 60 patients in the minimally-invasive and open groups, respectively. Tumor size was smaller in the minimally-invasive group (mean difference, -2.20; 95% confidence interval (CI), -3.09 to -1.32; P < 0.001). The MI group had lower intraoperative blood loss (mean difference, -180.19; 95% CI, -344.28 to -16.09; P = 0.03) and transfusion requirement (relative risk, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.06-0.94; P = 0.04), and a shorter time to diet (mean difference, -2.99; 95% CI, -3.96 to -2.03; P < 0.001) and length of stay (mean difference, -3.61; 95% CI, -6.98 to -0.24; P = 0.04). There was no significant difference in operating time, margin positivity, postoperative morbidity, and postoperative pancreatic fistula rates.

CONCLUSIONS

Minimally invasive pancreatectomy for SPPN is associated with decreased intraoperative blood loss and transfusion requirements and a shorter postoperative time to diet and hospital stay.

Surgical approach to solid pseudopapillary neoplasms of the proximal pancreas: minimally invasive vs. open

Background

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasms (SPN) of the pancreas are rare pancreatic neoplasms where complete resection is the cornerstone in management. It has been demonstrated in previous studies that minimally invasive surgical approaches are effective management options in treating SPNs of the distal pancreas. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of minimally invasive surgery in treating SPNs of the uncinate, head, and neck of the pancreas.

Methods

Data from 2005 to 2017 at Severance Hospital of the Yonsei University Health systems in Seoul, South Korea, were retrospectively collected for 25 patients who were diagnosed with SPN of the uncinate, head, and neck of the pancreas and who underwent curative resection. Three groups of patients were considered, depending on the year of surgery, in order to determine trends in the surgical management of SPN. The patients were also divided into two groups corresponding to the type of operation done (minimally invasive surgery vs. open surgery). Perioperative patient data, including age, gender, body mass index (BMI), tumor size, and operation done, were compared and analyzed statistically. Long-term nutritional effects were measured using the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) scoring system.

Results

There were no statistically significant differences in age, gender, BMI, symptomatic presentation, operation type, tumor size, and tumor stage between the three time periods. In comparing between minimally invasive and open surgery, there were no statistically significant differences in age, gender, symptomatic presentation, BMI, tumor size, preoperative stage, type of operation, operation time, pancreatic duct size, post-operative pancreatic fistula (POPF) grade, death associated with disease, recurrence, pathological parameters, and change in CONUT score. There was a significant difference in tumor size (4.5 ± 1.8 vs. 2.6 ± 1.0 cm, p = 0.004), blood loss (664.2 ± 512.4 vs. 277.7 ± 250.8 mL, p = 0.024), need to transfuse (33% vs. 0%, p = 0.023), hospital length of stay (27.4 ± 15.3 vs. 11.5 ± 5.3 days, p = 0.002), and complication rate (75% vs. 30.8%, p = 0.027) between the two groups.

Conclusions

In appropriately selected patients with SPNs of the uncinate, head, and neck of the pancreas, a minimally invasive surgical approach offers at least equal oncologic and nutritional outcomes, while demonstrating decreased complications and decreased hospital length of stay compared with that of an open surgical approach.

Outcome of minimally-invasive versus open pancreatectomies for solid pseudopapillary neoplasms of the pancreas: A 2:1 matched case-control study

Backgrounds/Aims

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPPN) is typically seen in young healthy females who would likely benefit from minimally-invasive pancreatectomy (MIP). A few comparative studies have suggested that MIP is associated with favorable outcomes when compared to the open approach for SPPN. This study aims to mitigate potential selection bias by performing a matched case-control study comparing MIP vs open pancreatectomy (OP) for SPPN.

Methods

We performed a single-institution retrospective electronic chart review of all patients who underwent surgery for pathologically confirmed SPPN between 2000 and 2017. A 2:1 matched comparison using age, gender, tumor size and the type of pancreatectomy was performed between OP and MIP.

Results

A total of 40 patients with a median age of 40.3 years (range 16.5-64.4) and female sex predominance (n=34, 85.0%) underwent surgery during the study period. Nine patients underwent MIP. Matched comparison between 18 OP and 9 MIP demonstrated that MIP was associated with a longer median operating time (305 vs 180 min, p=0.046) and shorter median postoperative stay (6 vs 9 days, p=0.015). There were no significant differences in intraoperative blood loss, blood transfusion requirements, postoperative morbidity (including postoperative pancreatic fistula) and mortality, resection margins, lymph node yield and long-term survival.

Conclusions

MIP is a safe and viable option in the management of SPPN with the benefit of a shorter postoperative length of stay at the expense of a longer operation time. There was no significant difference in oncologic outcomes between both groups of patients.

Learning Curve for Laparoscopic Pancreaticoduodenectomy: a CUSUM Analysis

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD), an advanced minimally invasive technique, has demonstrated advantages to open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD). However, this complex procedure requires a relatively long training period to ensure technical proficiency. This study was therefore designed to analyze the learning curve for LPD.

METHODS

From October 2010 to September 2015, 63 standard pancreaticoduodenectomy procedures were to be performed laparoscopically by a single surgeon at the Department of Pancreatic Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, China. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 57 patients were included in the study. Data for all the patients, including preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables, were prospectively collected and analyzed. The learning curve for LPD was evaluated using both cumulative sum (CUSUM) and risk-adjusted CUSUM (RA-CUSUM) methods. All of the variables among the learning curve phases were compared.

RESULTS

Based on the CUSUM and the RA-CUSUM analyses, the learning curve for LPD was grouped into three phases: phase I was the initial learning period (cases 1-11), phase II represented the technical competence period (cases 12-38), and phase III was regarded as the challenging period (cases 39-57). The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and postoperative ICU demand significantly decreased with the learning curve. More lymph nodes were collected after the initial learning period. There were no significant differences in terms of postoperative complications or the 30-day mortality among the three phases. More challenging cases were encountered in phase III.

CONCLUSIONS

According to this study, the learning curve for LPD consisted of three phases. Conservatively, to attain technical competence for performing LPD, a minimum of 40 cases are required for laparoscopic surgeons with a degree of laparoscopic experience.

Laparoscopic Distal Pancreatectomy with or without Preservation of the Spleen for Solid Pseudopapillary Neoplasm

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) is a rare tumor of the pancreas. Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (DP) is a feasible and safe procedure, and successful spleen preservation rates are higher using a laparoscopic approach. We hypothesized that certain patients with SPN would be good candidates for laparoscopic surgery; however, few surgeons have reported laparoscopic DP for SPN. We discuss the preoperative assessment and surgical simulation for two SPN cases. A simulation was designed because we consider that a thorough preoperative understanding of the procedure based on three-dimensional image analysis is important for successful laparoscopic DP. We also discuss the details of the actual laparoscopic DP with or without splenic preservation that we performed for our two SPN cases. It is critical to use appropriate instruments at appropriate points in the procedure; surgical instruments are numerous and varied, and surgeons should maximize the use of each instrument. Finally, we discuss the key techniques and surgical pitfalls in laparoscopic DP with or without splenic preservation. We conclude that experience alone is inadequate for successful laparoscopic surgery.