Impact on Long-term Survival of a Standardized Histopathological Protocol on the R1 Incidence in Pancreatoduodenectomy for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Background: Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a pathology with a very poor prognostic, the only curative treatment option being surgery, in association with chemotherapy. This study aims to assess the influence that the use of a standardized pathology report after a pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) has on the R1 margins rate and the impact that this has on long term survival. Material and Methods: We included 116 patients admitted to the Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Prof. Dr. O. Fodor Cluj Napoca, who underwent PD for PDAC (Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma) between January 2012 and May 2017. We divided them in two groups: 59 patients for which a nonstandardized histopathological protocol was used and 57 patients for which a standardized protocol was implemented. We considered a margin to be R1 when there were tumor cells at ¤ 1 mm from the resection margin. Results: The R1 percentage in the first group of patients was of 39%, while the R1 resection rate in the second group was of 68.4%. The median survival rate was similar in the two groups, with no statistically significant difference between them, but in the prospective study when comparing R0 vs R1 margins there was a statistically differences in 5 year OS with a p-value = 0.03. Conclusion: The use of a standardized pathology report reveals a significant increase in R1 resection rates. Also study revealed not only increasing R1 incidence when using a standardized histopathology report, but also that those margins (R1) playing a determinant role in 5-year OS. The mesopancreas is the most frequently R1 resection margin.

HER2 Overexpression in Periampullary Tumors According to Anatomical and Histological Classification-A Systematic Review.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive, heterogeneous, and fatal types of human cancer; therefore, more effective therapeutic drugs are urgently needed. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression and amplification have been identified as a cornerstone in this pathology. The aim of this review is to identify HER2 membrane overexpression in relation to pancreatic cancer pathways that can be used in order to develop a targeted therapy. After searching the keywords, 174 articles were found during a time span of 10 years, between 2013 and 2023, but only twelve scientific papers were qualified for this investigation. The new era of biomolecular research found a significant relationship between HER2 overexpression and pancreatic cancer cells in 25-30% of cases. The variables are dependent on tumor-derived cells, with differences in receptor overexpression between PDAC (pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma), BTC (biliary tract cancer), ampullary carcinoma, and PNETs (pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors). HER2 overexpression is frequently encountered in human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines, and the ERBB family is one of the targets in the near future of therapy, with good results in phase I, II, and III studies evaluating downregulation and tumor downstaging, respectively.

Evaluation of P-POSSUM Risk Scoring System in Prediction of Morbidity and Mortality after Pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Background: POSSUM and P-POSSUM are risk scores recommended by ERAS Society for the preoperative evaluation of patients undergoing major surgery. Methods: This study includes 113 consecutive pancreaticoduodenectomy performed in a single centre between July 2013-December 2015. Patients data were prospectively collected using Excel 2009 and retrospectively analysed with R v3.2.4 software. Biological status score, surgical severity score and risk scores for complications and death were calculated using: http://www.riskprediction. org.uk/index-pp.php. Results: Morbidity rate was 61,95%: 19,47% general complications, 14,16% wound infections and 28,32% PD specific complications (11,5% POPF; 8,85% DGE and 6,19% PPH). Comparing the observed and estimated morbidity and mortality, we obtained statistical significant results (p=0,05 and p=0,03, respectivelly). When we considered only specific PD complications and subsequent mortality, there was no longer significant difference between observed and estimated values (p=0,8 and p=0,86).The under ROC curve aria was 0,61 for morbidity and 0,64 for specific PD morbidity, respectively 0,61 for mortality and 0,68 for specific PD complications related mortality. CONCLUSION: P-POSSUM represents a useful tool for appreciating the complication and death risk after PD, but better results could be obtain by considering also specific PD risk factors.

An Attempt to Build a National Prospective Electronic Database for Pancreaticoduodenectomies in Romania - Preliminary Results of the First Year Enrollment.

Introduction: National databases for pancreaticoduodenectomies (PD) have contributed to better postoperative outcomes after such complex surgical procedure because the multicentre collection of data allowed more reliable analyses with quality assessment and further improvement of technical issues and perioperative management. The current practice and outcomes after PD are poorly known in Romania because there was no national database for these patients. Thus, in 2016 a national-intent electronic registry for PD was proposed for all Romanian surgical centers. The study aims to present the preliminary results of this national-intent registry for PD after one-year enrollment. Patients Methods: The database was started on October 1st, 2016. Data were prospectively collected with an electronic online form including 102 items for each patient. The registry was opened to all the Departments of Surgery from Romania performing PD, with no restriction. Results: During the first year of enrollment were collected the data of 181 patients with PD performed by 24 surgeons from four surgical centers. The age of patients was 64 years (28 - 81 years), with slightly male predominance (61.3%). Computed tomography was the main preoperative imaging investigation (84.5%). All the PDs were performed by an open approach. The Whipple technique was used in 53% of patients, and a venous resection was required in 14.3% of cases. A posterior approach PD was considered in 16.6% of patients. The stomach was used to treat the distal remnant pancreas in 50.1% of patients. The operative time was 285 min (110 - 615 min), and the estimated blood loss was 400 ml (80 - 3000 ml). The overall morbidity rate was 55.8%, with severe (i.e., grade III-IV Dindo-Clavien) morbidity rate of 10%, and 3.9% in-hospital mortality rate. The overall pancreatic fistula, delayed gastric emptying and hemorrhage rates were 19.9%, 39.8% and 15.5%. Periampullary malignancies were the main indications for PD (78.9%), with pancreatic cancer on the top (48%). Conclusions: To build a prospective electronic online database for PD in Romania appears to be a feasible project and a useful tool to know the current practice and outcomes after PD in our country. However, improvements are still required to encourage a larger number of surgical centers to introduce the data of patients with PD.

Role of computer tomography and endoscopic ultrasonography in assessing portal and superior mesenteric vessels invasion in cephalo-pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

AIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate the information given by contrast-enhanced computer tomography (CECT) and ultrasound endoscopy (EUS) regarding vascular involvement of cephalo-pancreatic cancer, data compared with intraoperative findings. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We choose to analyze the most often interested vessels by tumor development, such as superior mesenteric artery (SMA), superior mesenteric vein (SMV) and portal vein (PV). The patients included in the study (n=425) had a cephalo-pancreatic tumor diagnosed in our Institute and a positive histology for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The exclusion criteria were: tumors in sites other than the head of the pancreas (including metastases); tumor involvement of common hepatic artery, celiac trunk, inferior cava vein or aorta; CECT or EUS diagnosis performed in another center; and a delay of more than 35 days between the diagnostic imaging and surgery. RESULTS: In diagnosing SMA invasion CECT had an accuracy of 84,92% and EUS had an accuracy of 87,39%. In diagnosing PV and SMV involvement, CECT had an accuracy of 84,83% and EUS had an accuracy of 92,17%. The accuracy of the two combined examinations in diagnosing vascular invasion was 93%. CONCLUSONS: Both types of examination have showed good accuracies in diagnosing vascular invasion separately. A combination of the two may be used when the CECT result is uncertain as it provides a higher chance of a correct diagnosis. KEY WORDS: Pancreatic cancer, Resectability criteria, Vascular invasion.

Microscopically positive (R1) resections do not affect survival in pancreatic head cancer.

BACKGROUND: Obtaining negative microscopic resection margins (R0) in cephalic duodenopancreatectomy (CDP) is the gold standard. Resection line involvement at microscopic histopathological examination (R1) could change prognostic unfavorable. Regarding R1 resections in CDP (data from the literature show rates between 20-80%), we considered it necessary to perform a study in Regional Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology "Prof. Dr. O. Fodor'' Cluj-Napoca. METHODS: Here we present the results of a retrospective study carried out between January 2012 - December 2013 in our Institute. This study includes 63 patients with pancreatic head resections for pancreatic cancer. The circumferential soft tissue margin, the pancreatic transection margin, the bile duct and duodenum/stomach margins were analyzed. We investigated the incidence of R1 and its impact on the survival rates after oncologic pancreatic resections using a nonstandardized pathologic routine protocol. R1 status was defined as the distance of the tumor from the resection margin of ≤ 1 mm. RESULTS: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) was diagnosed in 93.65 %. The R1 rate was 36.5 % (23 cases). The circumferential margins were most commonly involved as R1 (91,3%). No statistically significant differences were found between patients with R1 to those with R0 (p ≥ 0.1) regarding 3-year survival. CONCLUSIONS: Survival for pancreatic head cancer at 3 years is not influenced by the margins of resection (R1/R0). Microscopic resection margin involvement is not an independent marker of survival. KEY WORDS: Circumferential margins, Nonstandardized pathologic protocol, Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, Positive margins R1 Survival.

Pethidine efficacy in achieving the ultrasound-guided oblique subcostal transversus abdominis plane block in laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A prospective study.

Pethidine is a synthetic opioid with local anesthetic properties. Our goal was to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of pethidine for achieving the ultrasound-guided oblique subcostal transversus abdominis plane (OSTAP) block in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This prospective, double-blind study included 79 patients of physical status I and II according to American Society of Anesthesiologists, scheduled for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The patients were randomly allocated into three groups, depending on the drug used to achieve preoperative bilateral OSTAP block: 1) OSTAP-Placebo (treated with normal saline); 2) OSTAP-Bupivacaine (treated with 0.25% bupivacaine); and 3) OSTAP-Pethidine (treated with 1% pethidine). The efficacy of pethidine in achieving the OSTAP block was analyzed using visual analog scale (VAS), intraoperative opioid dose, opioid consumption in post anesthesia care unit, and opioid consumption in the first 24 postoperative hours. The pain scores assessed by VAS at 0, 2, 4, 6, 12, and 24 hours were significantly lower in OSTAP-Pethidine than in OSTAP-Placebo group (p < 0.001). The mean intraoperative opioid consumption was significantly lower in OSTAP-Pethidine compared to OSTAP-Placebo group (150 versus 400 mg, p < 0.001), as well as the mean opioid consumption in the first 24 hours (20.4 versus 78 mg, p < 0.001). Comparing VAS assessment between OSTAP-Bupivacaine and OSTAP-Pethidine groups, statistically significant differences were observed only for the immediate postoperative pain assessment (0 hours), where lower values were observed in OSTAP-Pethidine group (p = 0.004). There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (p = 0.131) between the groups. The use of 1% pethidine can be an alternative to 0.25% bupivacaine in achieving OSTAP block for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Ileocecal, colonic, and peritoneal tuberculosis: role of imaging in diagnosis. A case report and literature review.

Tuberculosis is a widespread infectious disease that still remains a deadly global health problem and a condition that is life-threatening if misdiagnosed. Extrapulmonary manifestations are prevalent in the endemic areas but limited to the immunocompromised and immigrants in economically developed areas. False diagnostic situations rely on non-specific investigatory findings, the wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, and problems in discriminating between inflammation and neoplasms of the bowel. For an early diagnosis, a high index of suspicion and correlation of clinical and imaging aspects, as well as findings from colonoscopy, tissue biopsy, and microbiologic assessments, are necessary. We present a case of a patient with non-specific abdominal symptoms, mimicking a clinical syndrome of neoplastic impregnation, finally diagnosed as ileal tuberculosis with peritoneal involvement. We stress the importance of ultrasonography as a primary method of investigation, having an important role in raising the suspicion of an infectious bowel disease, as well as the role of contrast-enhanced ultrasound examination.

Diffuse form of Caroli's disease: therapeutical approach in a female patient with recurrent cholangitis.

A 49-year old female was admitted to the 3rd Surgical Clinic Cluj with clinical signs of cholangitis. She had had these symptoms for 30 years and in 2007 she was diagnosed as suffering from a diffuse form of Caroli's disease. On admission, a biological syndrome of cholestasis was noticed, associated with an inflammatory syndrome and hepatocytolysis. The imaging examinations confirmed the presence of bilateral intrahepatic cysts communicating with the biliary tree and intrahepatic lithiasis. Surgery was performed with left lobectomy, cholecystectomy, lavage of the right biliary tree and single loop cholangio-jejunal Roux-en-Y anastomosis. The patient had a favorable postoperative evolution and was discharged on the 7th day. The optimal therapeutic solution for this patient would have been a liver transplantation. However, given the emergency presentation, the surgery choice was to treat the present complications, namely the structural damage in the left lobe, the microabcesses at this level, the intrahepatic lithiasis and cholangitis. Caroli's disease, due to its complications, may impose to the surgeon to choose between different therapeutical strategies before liver transplantation.

Therapeutic approach to the malignant tumors of the biliary tract.

Cholangiocarcinomas (CCA) are malignant tumors that originate in the cholangiocytes, occur at any level of the biliary tract, are very aggressive and have a 5-year survival rate of 7-8%. Their diagnosis is late and difficult, and the prognosis is very poor. The only curative treatment of these tumors is the complete surgical resection. Signs of unresectability can be detected in most patients with CCA when establishing the diagnosis. Thus, only certain palliative measures can be employed in most cases. The ideal palliative method should be minimally invasive, accompanied by few complications, should offer an increased quality of life, require reduced hospitalization and the lowest costs. The palliative treatment of the obstructive jaundice may be achieved by means of surgical bypass, endoscopic insertion of biliary stents, percutaneous stents, transhepatic stents, photodynamic therapy and/or radio-chemotherapy.

Implementing fast-track protocol for colorectal surgery: a prospective randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Fast-track protocols are followed by an enhanced recovery, early return to bowel function and to complete nutrition, and a reduced hospital stay. Our study was designed to implement fast-track protocol in our university hospital. METHODS: The 96 consecutive patients with colorectal neoplasm included in the study were randomized in two equal groups: group 1 (FT) included patients undergoing colorectal surgery in a fast-track protocol, and group 2 (C) included patients undergoing colorectal surgery with a conventional care protocol. As with other fast-track protocols, our protocol included carbohydrate fluids load before operation, early mobilization and oral feeding, regular prokinetics, and multimodal postoperative analgesia. Time to restoration of bowel function, to complete mobilization and feeding, length of hospital stay, and incidence of complications and readmissions were monitored. RESULTS: Time to mobilization, restoring of bowel function, and complete oral feeding were significantly shorter with fast-track protocol (p = 0.001, p = 0.042, and p = 0.01, respectively). Hospital stay also was shorter in the fast-track group (p = 0.001). The incidence of complications did not significantly differ with the study groups. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, fast-track protocol resulted in a shorter time to mobilization, complete feeding, and discharge from hospital. Fast-track protocol did not increase the incidence of complications. However, we consider that our data require further confirmation with powered multicenter national studies.

[Management of colorectal resections for treatment of neoplastic intestinal occlusions. Experience of surgery clinic No III, Cluj-Napoca]. / Managementul rezectiilor colorectale în tratamentul ocluziilor intestinale neoplazice. Experienta Clinicii Chirurgie III Cluj-Napoca.

PURPOSE: We analyzed the clinical results of different techniques of resection for malignant colorectal (primary or staged) obstruction. METHODS: The subjects of this retrospective nonrandomized clinical study were 165 patients with malignant colorectal occlusion who underwent surgery treatment in our Department between 2002-2006. Patients with peritonitis or treated by means of permanent colostomy, palliative anastomosis, primary Hartman resection and rectal excision were excluded. RESULTS: Patients with large bowel obstruction caused by obstructive malignant colorectal lesions underwent either one-stage primary resection with anastomosis (77 patients) or staged interventions (88 patients). There were no differences in age, sex, comorbidities, tumor staging, serum preoperative levels of hemoglobin and proteins between the two groups of patients defined by the different surgical techniques. Regarding mortality and morbidity following surgical treatment for large bowel obstruction no significant difference among the two groups (p > 0.05) or the fistula rate (p = 0.435) was obtained. Moreover, results showed a higher incidence of mortality (11.8% vs 7.8%), morbidity (13.6 vs 10.4) and increased hospitalization period (p = 0.03) among the patients that undergone series resections. CONCLUSIONS: One stage primary resections with anastomosis of the large bowel can be performed safely in case of emergency whenever patient comorbidities and local conditions do not stand as major restrictions.

Bouveret syndrome associated with acute gangrenous cholecystitis.

An 89-year-old patient was hospitalized with signs of acute lithiasic cholecystitis and gastric emptying failure. The decision for surgery was taken and a subhepatic block was evidenced, caused by a perforated gangrenous cholecystitis with pericholecystic abscess, a cholecysto-antroduodenal fistula with two gallstones, 9/5 and 4/3 cm in size, impacted in the duodenum. It was necessary to perform an Y-en-Roux antroduodenojejunal anastomosis because an antroduodenal parietal defect resulted after the removal of the gangrenous gallbladder. The immediate and long term postoperative evolution in terms of anastomosis functionality was good.

Laparoscopic resection of duodenal diverticulum. A case report.

We report the case of a laparoscopic resection of a symptomatic duodenal diverticulum. A 35 year old female with history of pain in the upper abdomen, nausea and regurgitation was diagnosed with a diverticulum of the second portion of the duodenum on the external border at upper gastrointestinal radiography. The diverticulum size was medium (2 cm in diameter). Under general anesthesia, a pneumoperitoneum was created. Four trocars were inserted into the peritoneal cavity for this intervention. After the sectioning of posterior parietal peritoneum on the external border of the second portion of duodenum, the diverticulum was dissected. The resection was performed with an endo-GIA linear stapler at the base of the diverticulum. One subhepatic drain was inserted. The operative time was 30 min. There were no intra- or postoperative complications. Postoperative gastrointestinal series revealed no signs of diverticulum or stenosis on the second portion of the duodenum. The patient was discharged in the fifth postoperative day after a normal course. The follow-up evaluation was normal.