ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Lipomatous pseudohypertrophy of the pancreas, pancreatic lipomatosis, pancreatic steatosis, non-alcoholic fatty pancreatic disease, or fatty pancreas is an extremely rare disease, characterized by the organ enlargement and a localized or diffuse replacement of pancreatic acinar cells by mature adipose tissue, preserving the pancreatic ductal system and islets of Langerhans.

AIMS:

To report a rare case of lipomatous pseudohypertrophy of the pancreas in a symptomatic patient and the surgical treatment employed.

METHODS:

A 24-year-old male patient with weight loss (10 kilograms in 8 months), hyperglycemia, severe and recurrent acute abdominal pain, epigastric discomfort associated with nausea, vomiting, and jaundice for 40 days. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed, revealing an irregular lipomatous pseudohypertrophy of the pancreas, measuring 6.0 × 5.6 cm in the head, uncinate process, and part of the body of the pancreas. The pancreatic duct dilation was diffuse and irregular, associated with atrophy of the remnant parenchyma, particularly in the tail of the pancreas. The patient underwent pancreatoduodenectomy without total mesopancreas excision followed by pancreatojejunostomy.

RESULTS:

The postoperative course was uneventful, the length of stay in the ICU was two days, and the patient was discharged on the seventh postoperative day.

CONCLUSIONS:

The disease treatment depends on the signs and symptoms at presentation and a pancreatoduodenectomy is indicated in patients with severe and recurrent abdominal pain.

Background:

Pancreatoduodenectomy is a technically challenging surgical procedure with an incidence of postoperative complications ranging from 30% to 61%. The procedure requires a high level of experience, and to minimize surgery-related complications and mortality, a high-quality standard surgery is imperative.

Aim:

To understand the Brazilian practice patterns for pancreatoduodenectomy.

Method:

A questionnaire was designed to obtain an overview of the surgical practice in pancreatic cancer, specific training, and experience in pancreatoduodenectomy. The survey was sent to members who declared an interest in pancreatic surgery.

Results:

A total of 60 questionnaires were sent, and 52 have returned (86.7%). The Southeast had the most survey respondents, with 25 surgeons (48.0%). Only two surgeons (3.9%) performed more than 50% of their pancreatoduodenectomies by laparoscopy. A classic Whipple procedure was performed by 24 surgeons (46.2%) and a standard International Study Group on Pancreatic Surgery lymphadenectomy by 43 surgeons (82.7%). For reconstruction, pancreaticojejunostomy was performed by 49 surgeons (94.2%), single limb technique by 41(78.9%), duct-to-mucosa anastomosis by 38 (73.1%), internal trans-anastomotic stenting by 26 (50.0%), antecolic route of gastric reconstruction by 39 (75.0%), and Braun enteroenterostomy was performed by only six surgeons (11.5%). Prophylactic abdominal drainage was performed by all surgeons, and somatostatin analogues were utilized by six surgeons (11.5%). Early postoperative enteral nutrition was routine for 22 surgeons (42.3%), and 34 surgeons (65.4%) reported routine use of a nasogastric suction tube.

Conclusion:

Heterogeneity was observed in the pancreatoduodenectomy practice patterns of surgeons in Brazil, some of them in contrast with established evidence in the literature.

Several methods have been proposed for the reconstruction of digestive transit after pancreatoduodenectomy. Biliary anastomosis positioned before gastric anastomosis helps reduce postoperative reflux and cholangitis.

AIMS:

The objective of this study was to present the anatomical sequence of gastric and biliary continuity after pancreatoduodenectomy in patients with pancreatic tumor and to evaluate the short- and long-term results in an initial series of cases.

METHODS:

Two techniques were used: one with Roux-en-Y reconstruction and pancreaticojejunostomy and the other with a single jejunal loop and pancreatogastroanastomosis. In both the cases, the gastric anastomosis was placed performed before the biliary one. An analysis of demographic data, Wirsung’s duct and common bile duct dilatation, the use of percutaneous drainage, and postoperative complications was carried out.

RESULTS:

A total of seven patients (four men and three women), with a mean age of 62 years, underwent surgery. All cases had Wirsung’s duct and common bile duct dilatation. A percutaneous external biliary drainage was performed in four patients. There were three postoperative complications: one related to delayed gastric emptying and two related to wound infections. During a median follow-up of 12 months, no episode of cholangitis was recorded.

CONCLUSIONS:

Elevated percentages of cholangitis are reported in different reconstructions after pancreatoduodenectomy, and it is difficult to conclude reflux as the main etiology. The proposed gastric and biliary reconstructions show conforming results, facilitating posterior endoscopic access. Late follow-up and large number of cases may help assess whether the etiology of postoperative cholangitis is reflux or other factors unrelated to the order of the anastomoses.

Background:

Solid pseudopapillary pancreatic neoplasia is usually a large well-circumscribed pancreatic mass, with cystic and solid areas more frequently found in young women. It is a benign pancreatic neoplasia in most cases, therefore minimally invasive surgery could be an interesting approach.

Aim:

Evaluate the results of minimally invasive surgery for this neoplasia.

Methods:

Patients with this tumor who underwent minimally invasive pancreatectomies between 2009 and 2015 in a single institution, were analyzed regarding demographic, clinical-pathological futures, post-operative morbidity and disease-free survival.

Results:

All were women, and their median age was 39 (18-54) years. Two patients with tumor in the head of the pancreas underwent laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy, and another one underwent laparoscopic enucleation. Two patients with tumor in the neck underwent central pancreatectomy. Distal pancreatectomies were performed in the other five, one with splenic preservation. None required blood transfusion or conversion to open surgery. Two (20%) developed clinical relevant pancreatic fistulas, requiring readmission. Median length of postoperative hospital stay was five days (2-8). All resection margins were negative. Patients were followed for a median of 38 months (14-71), and there was no recurrence.

Conclusions:

Minimally invasive surgery for solid pseudopapillary pancreatic neoplasia is feasible for tumors in different locations in the pancreas. It was associated with acceptable morbidity and respected the oncologic principles for treatment.

Background :

Pancreatic fistula is a major cause of morbidity and mortality after pancreatoduodenectomy. To prevent this complication, many technical procedures have been described.

Aim:

To present a novel technique based on slight modifications of the original Heidelberg technique, as new pancreatojejunostomy technique for reconstruction of pancreatic stump after pancreatoduodenectomy and present initial results.

Method:

The technique was used for patients with soft or hard pancreas and with duct size smaller or larger than 3 mm. The stitches are performed with 5-0 double needle prolene at the 2 o’clock, 4 o’clock, 6 o’clock, 8 o’clock, 10 o’clock, and 12 o’clock, positions, full thickness of the parenchyma. A running suture is performed with 4-0 single needle prolene on the posterior and anterior aspect the pancreatic parenchyma with the jejunal seromuscular layer. A plastic stent, 20 cm long, is inserted into the pancreatic duct and extended into the jejunal lumen. Two previously placed hemostatic sutures on the superior and inferior edges of the remnant pancreatic stump are passed in the jejunal seromuscular layer and tied.

Results :

Seventeen patients underwent pancreatojejunostomy after pancreatoduodenectomy for different causes. None developed grade B or C pancreatic fistula. Biochemical leak according to the new definition (International Study Group on Pancreatic Surgery) was observed in four patients (23.5%). No mortality was observed.

Conclusion :

Early results of this technique confirm that it is simple, reliable, easy to perform, and easy to learn. This technique is useful to reduce the incidence of pancreatic fistula after pancreatoduodenectomy.

Background:

The value of drain amylase on the first postoperative day after pancreatic resections has been described as an efficient predictor of pancreatic fistula. In spite of this, the cut-off point below which the drains can be removed early remains controversial.

Aim:

Validate the use of the amylase on the 1st postoperative day in the correlation with pancreatic fistula and define the value at which early drain removal is safe.

Method:

Were included patients undergoing Whipple surgery in the period of 2007 to 2016. Group 1 enrolled the ones who did not develop fistula and those who developed biochemical fistula for less than seven days postoperatively and group 2 included patients who developed persistent biochemical fistula between seven and 21 days and those with grade B and C fistula.

Results:

Sixty-one patients were included, 41 comprised group 1 and 20 group 2. The incidence of abdominal collections, need for reoperation and time of hospitalization were for group 1 and 2, respectively: 17.1%, 17.1% and 9.5 days, and 65%, 40% and 21.1 days. The median of the amylase from the drain at 1st postoperative day was in group 1 and 2, respectively: 175 U/l and 3172.5 U/l (p=0.001). Using a cut-off of 180 to predict the group to which the patient would belong there was obtained sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of 100%, 48.8%, 50% and 100% respectively.

Conclusion:

It was validated the cut-off value of 180 U/l as appropriate to early drain removal.

Indexado em:
SIGA-NOS!
ABCD – BRAZILIAN ARCHIVES OF DIGESTIVE SURGERY is a periodic with a single annual volume in continuous publication, official organ of the Brazilian College of Digestive Surgery - CBCD. Technical manager: Dr. Francisco Tustumi | CRM: 157311 | RQE: 77151 - Cirurgia do Aparelho Digestivo

Desenvolvido por Surya MKT

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