Wrapping in pancreatic surgery: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Wrapping in pancreatic surgery involves the use of the omentum or falciform ligament (FL) to wrap the local retroperitoneal vessels, the pancreatojejunal anastomosis or the pancreatic section of distal pancreatectomy. However, there is no clear evidence that wrapping in fact provides benefits. We have performed a systematic review of the literature about this topic. METHODS: We conducted a literature search in the PubMed/MEDLINE database (1966-2012) for any language using various combinations of the following terms: wrapping, omental, omentum, pancreas, pancreatoduodenectomy and falciform ligament. RESULTS: We selected 12 articles. Among five series that included a control group, only one obtained a statistically significant reduction in pancreatic fistula (PF) in the wrapping group and other series showed a lower percentage of post-operative haemorrhage in the wrapping group. In the seven series without control groups, a slight decrease in the rate of post-operative bleeding and PF was observed. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of the literature available at present, we cannot recommend the use of wrapping with omentum and/or FL in pancreatic surgery. Prospective randomized studies applying a systematic wrapping technique are needed in order to establish whether its use should be generalized.

Profile of patients with hepatic hydatid disease not treated surgically.

BACKGROUND: hepatic hydatid disease (HHD) is still an important health problem in certain areas of Spain where it is endemic. The treatment of HHD is usually surgical but certain patients are found to be ineligible after assessment for surgery (asymptomatic disease, comorbidity, patient refusal, or other). MATERIAL AND METHODS: description of patients assessed in the Department of Surgery for hepatic hydatid disease. RESULTS: in a group of 70 patients with HHD, 27 patients were not treated surgically (mean age: 72.7 years [range: 47-97], 14 women [51.8%]). The number of cysts presented by these patients was 33, with 1.22 cyst/patient (range: 1-4). The cyst size was 5.5 cm (range: 2.1-12.5 cm). The cysts, according to the WHO classification, were CE1: 3 patients, CE3B: 5 patients, CE4: 10 patients and CE5: 9 patients. The form of presentation was: symptomatic in 9 patients, although only 6 were attributable to HHD (22%) and asymptomatic in 18 patients. In these cases, imaging was performed for study of tumor extension in 6 patients and diverse medical reasons in 12. Only two therapeutic interventions were performed: endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with insertion of a bile duct stent, and puncture-aspiration-injection-re-aspiration (PAIR), both in patients who did not wish to undergo surgery.Ten patients had surgical indications: CE1 (3 patients), CE3B (5 patients), CE4 (1 patient), and CE5 (1 patient). The reasons why the patients did not undergo surgical treatment were: refusal (9 patients) and advanced neoplasm (1 patient). Surgery was judged necessary in 5 patients. In the mean follow-up period of 17 months (range: 1-37), no surgery was performed. CONCLUSIONS: there were various causes for not performing surgical intervention of HHD after medical evaluation: asymptomatic patients, older patients, patients with multiple pathologies and oncologic patients. Usually, they were patients who voluntarily chose not to undergo surgery.

Infiltrating ductal carcinoma and ductal carcinoma in situ associated with mammary hamartoma.

Mammary hamartoma is a rare nonmalignant lesion. Only 11 cases of carcinoma associated with hamartoma have been previously described in the literature. We describe a case of infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) associated with hamartoma in a 35-year-old woman. Mammography showed the features of a typical hamartoma with suspicious microcalcifications arising in it. The patient underwent a radical modified mastectomy. It is likely that hamartoma is a coincidental finding. The identification of suspicious microcalcifications in a typical mammographic image of a hamartoma should prompt continued examination to exclude an underlying tumor.