Prolonged pre-firing pancreatic compression with linear staplers in distal pancreatectomy: a valuable technique for post-operative pancreatic fistula prevention.

PURPOSE: Post-operative pancreatic fistula (POPF) remains the main complication after distal pancreatectomy (DP). The aim of this study is to evaluate the potential benefit of different durations of progressive stapler closure on POPF rate and severity after DP. METHODS: Patients who underwent DP between 2016 and 2023 were retrospectively enrolled and divided into two groups according to the duration of the stapler closure: those who underwent a progressive compression for < 10 min and those for ≥ 10 min. RESULTS: Among 155 DPs, 83 (53.5%) patients underwent pre-firing compression for < 10 min and 72 (46.5%) for ≥ 10 min. As a whole, 101 (65.1%) developed POPF. A lower incidence rate was found in case of ≥ 10 min compression (34-47.2%) compared to < 10 min compression (67- 80.7%) (p = 0.001). When only clinically relevant (CR) POPFs were considered, a prolonged pre-firing compression led to a lower rate (15-20.8%) than the < 10 min cohort (32-38.6%; p = 0.02). At the multivariate analysis, a compression time of at least 10 min was confirmed as a protective factor for both POPF (OR: 5.47, 95% CI: 2.16-13.87; p = 0.04) and CR-POPF (OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.19-5.45; p = 0.04) development. In case of a thick pancreatic gland, a prolonged pancreatic compression for at least 10 min was significantly associated to a lower rate of CR-POPF compared to < 10 min (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION: A prolonged pre-firing pancreatic compression for at least 10 min seems to significantly reduce the risk of CR-POPF development. Moreover, significant advantages are documented in case of a thick pancreatic gland.

Endoscopic Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound and Fine-Needle Aspiration or Biopsy for the Diagnosis of Pancreatic Solid Lesions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) are currently recommended for the pathologic diagnosis of pancreatic solid lesions (PSLs). The application of contrast-enhanced endoscopic ultrasound (ECEUS) could aid the endoscopist during an FNA and/or FNB procedure. CEUS is indeed able to better differentiate the pathologic tissue from the surrounding healthy pancreatic parenchyma and to detect necrotic areas and vessels. OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to evaluate if ECEUS could reduce the number of needle passes and side effects and increase the diagnostic efficacy of FNA and/or FNB. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search of clinical studies was performed to explore if ECEUS-FNA or FNB could increase diagnostic accuracy and reduce the number of needle passes and adverse effects compared to standard EUS-FNA or FNB. In accordance with the study protocol, a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the evidence was planned. RESULTS: The proportion of established diagnoses of ECEUS was 90.9% compared to 88.3% of EUS, with no statistically significant difference (p = 0.14). The diagnosis was made through a single step in 70.9% of ECEUS patients and in 65.3% of EUS patients, without statistical significance (p = 0.24). The incidence of adverse reactions was substantially comparable across both groups (p = 0.89). CONCLUSION: ECEUS-FNA and FNB do not appear superior to standard EUS-FNA and FNB for the diagnosis of pancreatic lesions.

The Impact of Post-Pancreatectomy Acute Pancreatitis (PPAP) on Long-Term Outcomes after Pancreaticoduodenectomy: A Single-Center Propensity-Score-Matched Analysis According to the International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS) Definition.

Post-pancreatectomy acute pancreatitis (PPAP) is a potentially life-threating complication. Although multiple authors demonstrated PPAP as a predisposing feature for a more detrimental clinical course, no evidence is currently present on its potential impact on long-term outcomes. The aim of this study is to evaluate how PPAP onset may influence overall (OS) and disease-free survival (DSF) after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Patients who underwent PD for PDAC from 2006 to 2021 were enrolled. PPAP was defined according to the International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS) definition. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed in order to reduce potential selection biases. After PSM, 32 patients out of 231 PDs who developed PPAP (PPAP group) were matched to 32 patients who did not present PPAP (no-PPAP group). PPAP patients more frequently presented major post-operative complications (p = 0.02) and post-operative pancreatic fistula (POPF) (p = 0.003). Median follow-up was 26.2 months, with no difference between the two groups (p = 0.79). A comparable rate of local or distant metastases was noted in the two cohorts (p = 0.2). Five-year OS was comparable between the two populations (39.3% and 35.7% for the no-PPAP and PPAP populations, respectively; p = 0.53). Conversely, despite not being statistically significant, a worse 5-year DFS was evidenced in the case of PPAP (23.2%) as compared to the absence of PPAP (37.4%) (p = 0.51). With the limitations due to the small sample size, PPAP may potentially relate to worse long-term outcomes in terms of DFS. However, further studies with wider study populations are still needed in order to better clarify the prognostic role of PPAP.

The role of the multidisciplinary tumor board (MDTB) in the assessment of pancreatic cancer diagnosis and resectability: A tertiary referral center experience.

Background: The introduction of multidisciplinary tumor boards (MDTBs) for the diagnostic and therapeutic pathway of several oncological disease significantly ameliorated patients' outcomes. However, only few evidences are currently present on the potential impact of the MDTB on pancreatic cancer (PC) management. Aim of this study is to report how MDTB may influence PC diagnosis and treatment, with particular focus on PC resectability assessment and the correspondence between MDTB definition of resectability and intraoperative findings. Methods: All patients with a proven or suspected diagnosis of PC discussed at the MDTB between 2018 and 2020 were included in the study. An evaluation of diagnosis, tumor response to oncological/radiation therapy and resectability before and after the MDTB was conducted. Moreover, a comparison between the MDTB resectability assessment and the intraoperative findings was performed. Results: A total of 487 cases were included in the analysis: 228 (46.8%) for diagnosis evaluation, 75 (15.4%) for tumor response assessment after/during medical treatment, 184 (37.8%) for PC resectability assessment. As a whole, MDTB led to a change in treatment management in 89 cases (18.3%): 31/228 (13.6%) in the diagnosis group, 13/75 (17.3%) in the assessment of treatment response cohort and 45/184 (24.4%) in the PC resectability evaluation group. As a whole, 129 patients were given indication to surgery. Surgical resection was accomplished in 121 patients (93.7%), with a concordance rate of resectability between MDTB discussion and intraoperative findings of 91.5%. Concordance rate was 99% for resectable lesions and 64.3% for borderline PCs. Conclusions: MDTB discussion consistently influences PC management, with significant variations in terms of diagnosis, tumor response assessment and resectability. In this last regard, MDTB discussion plays a key role, as demonstrated by the high concordance rate between MDTB resectability definition and intraoperative findings.

Acute pancreatitis after pancreatoduodenectomy: clinical outcomes and predictive factors analysis according to the International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery definition.

BACKGROUND: Post-pancreatectomy acute pancreatitis (PPAP) is an increasingly described complication after pancreatic resection. No uniform definition criteria were present in the literature until the recent proposal of the International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS). Aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical significance of the novel ISGPS definition of PPAP. METHODS: Patients who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) between 2006 and 2022 were enrolled. PPAP was defined and graded according to the ISGPS criteria. RESULTS: Among 520 PDs, 120 (23%)patients developed post-operative hyperamylasemia (POH), while PPAP occurred in 63(12.1%) cases. PPAP occurrence related to a higher rate of more severe complications (48-76.1%vs118-25.8%; p < 0.0001), delayed gastric emptying (DGE) (27-42.9%vd114-24.9%; p = 0.003) and post-operative pancreatic fistula (POPF) (57-90.5%vs186-40.8%; p < 0.0001). When stratified for PPAP severity, grade B and C patients more frequently developed major complications (p < 0.0001), POPF (p < 0.0001), DGE (p = 0.02) and post-operative hemorrhage (p < 0.0001) as compared to POH. At the multivariable analysis, soft pancreatic texture (p = 0.01)and a Wirsung diameter ≤3 mm (p = 0.01) were recognized as prognostic factors for PPAP onset, while a pancreatic duct ≤3 mm was the only feature significantly influencing a more severe course of PPAP (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: The ISGPS classification is confirmed as a valuable method for a uniform definition and clinical course evaluation. Further studies in a prospective manner are still needed for a further confirmation.

Preliminary evaluation of two-row versus three-row circular staplers for colorectal anastomosis after rectal resection: a single-center retrospective analysis.

PURPOSE: Circular staplers for colorectal anastomoses significantly ameliorated post-operative outcomes after rectal resection. The more recent three-row technology was conceived to improve anastomotic resistance and, thus, lower the incidence of anastomotic complications. The aim of this study was to evaluate potential advantages of three-row circular staplers (Three-CS) on anastomotic leakage (AL), stenosis (AS), and hemorrhage (AH) rates after rectal resection as compared to two-row circular staplers (Two-CS). METHODS: All rectal resections for rectal cancer between 2016 and 2021 were retrospectively included. Patients were classified according to the circular stapler employed in Two-CS and Three-CS cohorts. AL, AS, and AH rates were compared between the two populations. Additionally, the prognostic role of the type of circular stapler on AL onset was evaluated. RESULTS: Three-hundred and seventy-five patients underwent a rectal resection with an end-to-end anastomosis during the study period: 197 constituted the Two-CS group and 178 the Three-CS cohort. AL rate was 6.7%, significantly higher in the Two-CS group (19-9.6%) as compared to the Three-CS cohort (6-3.4%) (p = 0.01). No difference was noted in terms of AL severity. Although not statistically significant, a lower incidence rate of AL was evidenced even in the subset of patients with low rectal cancers (4.5% vs 12.5% in the two-row cohort; p = 0.33). At the multivariate analysis, Two-CS was a negative prognostic factor for AL onset (OR: 2.63; p = 0.03). No difference was noted between the two groups in terms of AS and AH. CONCLUSION: Three-row CSs significantly decrease the rate of AL after rectal resection. Further multicenter controlled trials are still needed to confirm the advantages of three-row CSs on anastomotic complications.