Fetal topographical anatomy of the pancreatic head and duodenum with special reference to courses of the pancreaticoduodenal arteries

[Distal pancreatectomy with resection of the celiac trunk, right or left hepatic artery without arterial reconstruction (extended DP-CAR)]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate safety and postoperative outcomes of DP-CAR with resection of one of the lobar hepatic arteries without arterial reconstruction (extended DP-CAR).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Perioperative data and survival after 7 extended DP-CARs R0 were retrospectively analyzed. Arterial blood flow in the liver was assessed using intraoperative ultrasound and postoperative CT angiography.

RESULTS

Among 40 DP-CARs, resection of left or right hepatic artery was performed in 7 cases of aberrant anatomy including 1 case of portal vein resection. Mortality and ischemic complications were not observed. The main source of blood supply to the «devascularized» liver lobe was interlobar communicating artery or the arcade of the lesser curvature of the stomach. Incidence of pancreatic fistula was 44%, mean blood loss - 230 (100-650) ml, surgery time - 259 (195-310) min, mean hospital-stay - 14 (9-26) days. Median survival of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma was 25 months after combined treatment. Three patients died after 26, 28 and 77 months. Other patients are alive without progression for 109, 24, 23 and 12 months after therapy onset.

CONCLUSION

Extended DP-CAR is advisable and safe procedure if reliable intraoperative control of liver and stomach blood supply is ensured.

Intrapancreatic common hepatic artery arising from the superior mesenteric artery, a challenging anatomic variation in a multiorgan harvesting

INTRODUCTION

Understanding abdominal vascular anatomy is crucial for multiorgan recovery. In this case report, we have described a common hepatic artery that arises from the superior mesenteric artery but follows an intrapancreatic course.

METHODS

The donor was ideal for multiorgan recovery and the recipient was a 29-year-old woman awaiting a second transplant owing to primary nonfunction of her first engrafted organ. The indication for transplantation was secondary biliary cirrhosis. A type I diabetic recipient on dialysis therapy was awaiting the kidney and pancreas.

RESULTS

The urgent condition of our liver recipient combined with the anatomical finding prioritized liver procurement, therefore the pancreas was discarded.

CONCLUSIONS

The recognition of all anatomic variations will allow us to improve the use of the scarce resource of deceased donor organs.

Fetal topographical anatomy of the upper abdominal lymphatics: its specific features in comparison with other abdominopelvic regions

Using semiserial sections from 19 human fetuses of 8-30 weeks gestation, we examined the topohistology of the upper abdominal lymphatics and compared it with that of the lower abdominal and pelvic lymphatics. The upper abdominal lymphatics were characterized by an intimate relationship with the peritoneal lining, a common mesentery for the celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery (SMA). Lymphatic connections from the upper abdominal viscera to the paraaortic and paracaval areas followed two routes: (1) from the intestinal mesentery, along the peritoneum on the left aspect of the proximal SMA, via the chain of lymph follicles (LFs) lying along the retropancreatic fusion fascia, to drain into the LFs around the left renal vein; (2) from sites along the peritoneum on the posterior wall of the omental bursa, via the root of the hepatoduodenal ligament, to drain into LFs around the vena cava. The development of these two posterior drainage routes seemed to be promoted by the peritoneum or a peritoneal remnant (i.e., fusion fascia) attaching to the great vessels, and inhibited or impeded by the developing nerves and diaphragm. No paraaortic, paracaval, or pelvic LFs lay along the peritoneum. The pelvic LFs were usually located along the bundle of lymphatic vessels originating from the femoral canal.

Fetal intrahepatic gallbladder and topographical anatomy of the liver hilar region and hepatocystic triangle

The fetal gallbladder (GB) is embedded in a deep fossa surrounded by the liver parenchyma. Using 15 specimens with intrahepatic GB (crown-rump length 45-92 mm; approximately 9-13 weeks of gestation), we assessed the fetal topographical anatomy of the hepatocystic triangle and the porta hepatis. The cystic duct displayed a long upward course (0.9-4.5 mm along the supero-inferior axis) from the GB, along the duodenum, to the common bile duct in the hepatoduodenal ligament, via an independent mesentery separated from liver parenchyma by a recess of the peritoneal cavity. Notably, the course varied in length among specimens, not among stages. At the porta hepatis, we were able to distinguish the supraportal course of the posterior right hepatic duct overriding a portal vein branch to segment 8 (6/15) from the other, infraportal course (9/15). In the latter type, the portal vein bifurcation was superior to the cystic duct course. Two margins of the hepatocyctic triangle were very long in fetuses because of the inferiorly located intrahepatic GB. Thus, the triangle seems to be difficult to identify in prenatal ultrasound. During changes in location after 9 weeks, the GB fundus remains attached to the liver because the cystic artery was often embedded in the liver parenchyma. A failure in the embedding and re-exposure process of the GB may result in anomalous peritoneal folds around the GB.

Computer-assisted three-dimensional reconstruction of the fetal pancreas including the supplying arteries according to immunohistochemistry of pancreatic polypeptide

Purpose

Computer-assisted three-dimensional reconstruction of the fetal human pancreas was prepared to reconsider topographical relation between the dorsal/ventral anlagen and the vascular supply.

Methods

Tissue sections from the upper abdominal viscera of three fetuses were examined. Sections were immunohistochemically stained to determine pancreatic polypeptide expression, a marker of the ventral pancreas.

Results

The immunohistochemical findings were used to create three-dimensional computer-assisted reconstructions to identify pancreatic arteries. The narrowest part of the pancreas, or the neck, corresponding to a part of the dorsal pancreas, was located on the left side of the common bile duct, portal vein and gastroduodenal artery (GDA). The posterior arterial arcade accompanied the ventral pancreas, whereas the anterior arcade did not. In contrast to the GDA, the splenic artery was clearly separated from the neck in fetuses. The GDA appears to be the primary and stable arterial supply for the neck of the pancreas.

Conclusions

This observation may have implications for the preservation of the neck with the GDA during pancreaticoduodenectomy for benign and low-grade malignant diseases.