[A Case of Pancreatoduodenectomy for Pancreatic Head Cancer with Invasion to the Hepatic Artery from the Pancreatic Arcade].

This case pertained a 53-year-old man who underwent nab-PTX plus GEM therapy for BR-A pancreatic head cancer. He achieved a partial response and underwent pancreatoduodenectomy. Dynamic CT showed blockage of the original common hepatic artery branching from the celiac artery. Hepatic blood flow was maintained by a pancreatic arcade branching from the superior mesenteric artery which ran along the ventral side of the pancreatic head. The cancer had invaded the same location; therefore, the hepatic artery and portal vein were both resected and reconstructed. The patient had no complications, such as postoperative pancreatic fistula, and was discharged 45 days postoperatively. Currently(5 months postoperatively), postoperative S-1-based adjuvant chemotherapy is being administered, and the patient had a recurrence-free survival.

[Two Cases of Afferent Loop Obstruction Treated with Percutaneous Bowel Drainage(PBD)].

Here, we report our experiences with 2 cases of afferent loop obstruction with percutaneous bowel drainage(PBD)and present a review of the literature. Case 1 involved a 60-year-old woman. She underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer. Eighteen months postoperatively, a recurrence marked by a jejunal elevation and expansion on the cecal side near the porta hepatic lymph nodes appeared. We performed PBD because intestinal depression via the endoscopic approach was difficult. She was discharged from the hospital 7 days after PBD. Case 2 involved a 51-year-old woman. She underwent total gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y reconstruction for progressive stomach cancer. We detected a local recurrence in the Y anastomosis following a chief complaint of vomiting 10 months postoperatively. Fifteen months postoperatively, she developed acute pancreatitis with afferent loop syndrome. We performed PBD via a trans-liver route. The patient was discharged from the hospital 11 days after PBD. By devising a puncture route, we could safely perform PBD for an afferent loop obstruction.

Atherosclerosis of the right posterior hepatic artery in a patient with hilar cholangiocarcinoma undergoing left trisectionectomy: a case report of a therapeutic pitfall.

BACKGROUND: We experienced a rare case of benign arterial stricture of the right posterior hepatic artery (RPHA) caused by atherosclerosis in a patient with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. CASE PRESENTATION: A 75-year-old man was referred to our hospital for the detailed investigation of serum hepatobiliary enzyme elevation. The patient had a history of hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and an operative history of coronary artery bypass grafting 10 years before. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography found strictures of the right and left hepatic ducts with involvement of right anterior and posterior bile ducts. Adenocarcinoma was evident by brush cytology. We diagnosed these findings as hilar cholangiocarcinoma and planned left trisectionectomy including bile duct reconstruction. Although the tumor and RPHA were not adjacent, preoperative multidetector computed tomography revealed a stricture of the RPHA that was 5.6 mm in length. We suspected that atherosclerosis caused the stricture, and we performed digital subtraction angiography and intravascular ultrasonography that showed stricture of the RPHA accompanied by thick plaques in the arterial wall. We placed a bare-metal stent in the RPHA and then performed left trisectionectomy. Since this patient developed bile leakage postoperatively, percutaneous drainage was performed. The bile leakage was successfully controlled, and the patient was discharged 3 months after surgery. Unfortunately, 4 months after hepatectomy, he was re-hospitalized with multiple pyogenic liver abscesses. We performed intensive multimodal treatment for the liver abscesses and stabilized the disease; however, we eventually lost this patient due to liver failure 14 months after surgery. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, there is no previous literature on atherosclerosis of the RPHA, which was evident preoperatively in our case. Because arterial complications may lead to critical biliary complications in patients who undergo left trisectionectomy, we first performed prophylactic arterial stent placement. We speculate that existing chronic microscopic injury of the peribiliary plexus might have caused the liver abscesses. We successfully diagnosed atherosclerosis of the RPHA preoperatively. However, further investigation of patients is warranted to determine if left trisectionectomy is contraindicated in these patients.

[A Case of Laparoscopic Resection of Peritoneal Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence after Percutaneous Ethanol Injection Therapy].

Needle tract implantation after percutaneous ethanol injection therapy(PEIT)for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is rare. Surgical treatment of such HCC implants is still controversial. We herein report the case of a patient who underwent laparoscopic resection for peritoneal dissemination after PEIT. An 81-year-old man underwent PEIT for primary HCC at another hospital. Thereafter, percutaneous radiofrequency ablation(RFA)was performed twice for intrahepatic recurrence. After the second RFA, a mass lesion was detected at the subhepatic space on computed tomography(CT). We reevaluated the CT and diagnosed the patient with peritoneal dissemination after PEIT. Laparoscopic resection was performed. However, the patient developed recurrences at the thoracic wall and peritoneum 12 months after laparoscopic surgery. Those 2 tumors were resected, and he remains alive, approximately 30 months after the laparoscopic resection. Laparoscopic extirpation of tract seeding may provide better clinical outcomes in select patients.

[Two Cases of Effective Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy for Liver Metastases of Colon Cancer Resistant to Systemic Chemotherapy].

A 69-year-old man underwent right hemicolectomy for ascending colon cancer with liver metastases. Postoperative systemic chemotherapy did not reduce the metastases, and therefore, hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAI) was administered. The metastases decreased in size after 26 rounds of therapy, and the patient underwent resection. He is recurrence-free 63 months after the primary operation. A 57-year-old man underwent Hartmann's operation for sigmoid colon cancer with liver metastases. He underwent hepatic left lobe resection after metastases reduction by systemic chemotherapy. However, multiple liver metastases were detected 2 months later. Because the disease progressed despite the administration of systemic chemotherapy, HAI was utilized instead. The metastases decreased in size remarkably, and resection was performed. The patient is surviving 52 months after the primary operation while being continuously treated with HAI, resection, and systemic chemotherapy for re-recurrence. HAI is a potential alternative treatment for patients with colorectal liver metastases resistant to systemic chemotherapy.

[A Case of Pancreatic Head Cancer Showing Pathological Complete Response to Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation Therapy].

The patient was a 64-year-old woman. She was referred to our institute because of a chief complaint of upper abdominal pain. Abdominal computed tomographic scan revealed a 35 mm hypovascular tumor in the pancreatic head and superior mesenteric vein (SMV), as well as thrombosis. We chose neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy (NACRT) (S-1/RT, 50.4 Gy/28 Fr) and anticoagulants. After the treatment, the primary lesion showed a partial response, and the SMV thrombosis was reduced. We performed pancreaticoduodenectomy. Histopathological examination revealed no cancer cells in the pancreas. Pathological evaluation revealed grade Ⅳ tumor according to the Evans classification. The patient had had no recurrence for 10 months after the pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Hyperthermia in the treatment of recurrent abdominal desmoid tumor.

The most suitable management of recurrent abdominal desmoid tumor is still unclear. A case of recurrent huge abdominal desmoid tumor successfully treated by hyperthermia therapy is described. A 63-year-old man was operated upon for desmoid tumor in the retroperitoneum involving pancreas, posterior wall of the stomach and transverse mesocolon in 2007. In 2008, the tumor recurred and could not be resected because of the patient refused the operation. Several therapies using tamoxifen, anastrozole, imatinib mesylate and radiotherapy were all ineffective. The tumor grew bigger and bigger during a treatment period. Finally, hyperthermia treatment was applied to the tumor. The size of the recurrent desmoid tumor reduced 75% by hyperthermia treatment for 46-month. Base on this experience, we recommend hyperthermia as the treatment for patients with recurrent abdominal desmoid tumor that several therapeutic strategies did not achieve a remarkable response.

[A case of postoperative recurrent hilar cholangiocarcinoma in the lower bile duct treated with pancreatoduodenectomy].

When surgery is selected to treat postoperative recurrent hilar cholangiocarcinoma in the intrapancreatic bile duct, attention should be paid to the following: 1 ) technical resectability of the lesion, 2) reconstruction, and 3) high risk of complications. Eight cases, including the present case, of pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) for postoperative recurrent hilar cholangiocarcinoma in the intrapancreatic bile duct have been reported thus far. In October 2009, a 73-year-old man noticed that his stools were gray and visited a physician. He was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma on close examination and underwent left hepatic and caudate lobectomy in January 2010. After the surgery, he was treated with TS-1 (80 mg) and followed up at the outpatient clinic of our hospital. In July 2013, he was diagnosed with cancer of the lower bile duct and was admitted for surgery. The first and second pathological findings were carcinoma of the bile duct and papillary adenocarcinoma, respectively. The findings from the immunostaining were also inconsistent. The histopathological examination result suggested multicentric recurrence. The surgery was highly invasive, increasing the patient's risk of complications, in addition to the presence of postoperative adhesion. Therefore, surgery may be an important option for cases of localized recurrence but not for multicentric recurrence.

Prognostic Factors for Distal Bile Duct Carcinoma After Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Distal bile duct carcinoma continues to be one of the most difficult cancers to manage in terms of staging and radical resection. Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) with regional lymph node dissection has become the standard treatment of distal bile duct carcinoma. We evaluated treatment outcomes and histological factors in patients with distal bile duct carcinoma. METHODS: Seventy-four cases of resection of carcinoma of the distal bile ducts treated at our department during the period from January 2002 and December 2016 using PD and regional lymph node dissection as the standard surgical procedure were investigated. Survival rates of factors were analyzed using uni- and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The median survival time was 47.8 months. On univariate analysis, age of 70 years or older, histologically pap, pPanc2,3, pN1, pEM0, v2,3, ly2,3, ne2,3 and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy were statistically significant factors. On multivariate analysis, histologically pap was identified as a significant independent prognostic factor. The multivariate analysis identified age of 70 years or older, pEM0, ne2,3 and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy as showing a significant trend towards independent prognostic relevance. CONCLUSION: The good news about resected distal bile duct carcinoma is that the percentage of those who achieved R0 resection has risen to 89.1%. Our multivariate analysis identified age of 70 years or older, pEM0, ne2,3 and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy as prognostic factors. In order to improve the outcome of treatment, it is necessary to improve preoperative diagnostic imaging of pancreatic invasion and lymph node metastasis, establish the optimal operation range and clarify whether aortic lymph node dissection is needed to control lymph node metastasis, and establish effective regimens of chemotherapy.

Metastatic pulmonary adenocarcinoma 13 years after curative resection for pancreatic cancer: report of a case and review of Japanese literature.

CONTEXT: For the majority of patients, ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas remains a lethal disease. Currently, surgical extirpation for localized disease offers the only chance for long-term survival. CASE REPORT: We report a patient who underwent successful resection of isolated lung metastasis occurring 13 years after pancreatic cancer resection. A 59-year-old woman underwent distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer 13 years previously, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy, and was followed-up at the outpatient clinic of a local hospital. From around June 2010, she noticed bloody sputum, so she visited a local hospital. Since her chest X-ray and CT revealed a 1.5 cm mass shadow in the segment 10 of her right lung and she was referred to the Respiratory Disease Center of our hospital. As a result of through examinations, she was strongly suspected of having lung metastasis of pancreatic cancer, and underwent partial pneumonectomy. Postoperative histopathological examination of the resected specimen was consistent with lung metastasis of pancreatic cancer. She is still alive and currently receives third line of chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Patients who have achieved long-term survival after pancreatic cancer resection and can tolerate surgery may benefit from resection of a lung metastasis of pancreatic cancer in terms of survival, if it controls the metastasis.

[Endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage for the liver metastases from colorectal cancer and obstructive jaundice].

UNLABELLED: The success of biliary drainage in patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer and obstructive jaundice influences its prognosis greatly. In this study, we report a retrospective evaluation of endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage in patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer and obstructive jaundice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April 2004 to December 2011, 9 patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer and obstructive jaundice who underwent endoscopic biliary drainage were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: The mean serum levels of total bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase improved significantly after biliary drainage. The median survival time after biliary drainage was 133 days. Only 4 cases were able to resume chemotherapy after biliary drainage, and their prognosis was significantly better than patients who were not able to resume chemotherapy(p=0.014). DISCUSSION: Endoscopic biliary drainage in patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer and obstructive jaundice was effective, led to the resumption of chemotherapy, and improved prognosis. However, sufficient consideration of the patient's prognosis and performance status is required in order to perform biliary drainage.

Assessing the incidence of complications and malignancies in the long-term management of benign biliary strictures with a percutaneous transhepatic drain.

ABSTRACT: Percutaneous drainage catheters (PDCs) are required for the management of benign biliary strictures refractory to first-line endoscopic treatment. While biliary patency after PDC placement exceeds 75%, long-term catheterization is occasionally necessary. In this article, we assess the outcomes of patients at our institution who required long-term PDC placement.A single-institution retrospective analysis was performed on patients who required a PDC for 10 years or longer for the management of a benign biliary stricture. The primary outcome was uncomplicated drain management without infection or complication. Drain replacement was performed every 4 to 12 weeks as an outpatient procedure.Nine patients (three males and six females; age range of 48-96 years) required a long-term PDC; eight patients required the long-term PDC for an anastomotic stricture and one for iatrogenic bile duct stenosis. A long-term PDC was required for residual stenosis or patient refusal. Drain placement ranged from 157 to 408 months. In seven patients, intrahepatic stones developed, while in one patient each, intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma or hepatocellular carcinoma occurred.Long-term PDC has a high rate of complications; therefore, to avoid the need for using long-term placement, careful observation or early surgical interventions are required.

[A pilot study of intraperitoneal gemcitabine for reduction of peritoneal dissemination in advanced pancreatic cancer].

We schemed intraperitoneal gemcitabine (ipGEM) for reduction of peritoneal dissemination to three patients with unresectable and one patient with recurrent pancreatic cancer, followed by intraperitoneal catheter and subcutaneous port placement. Two locally advanced cases were performed for intra-operative radiotherapy, and one of 2 locally advanced cases was performed for gastrojejunostomy. And another locally advanced case had ileostomy. The recurrent case was resected for metastatic tumor of abdominal wall. In one of locally advanced cases, we couldn't perform ipGEM for progression of disease. In two remaining locally advanced cases, we could keep on doing ipGEM, and the patients did not experience with abdominal discomfort or hematological toxicity.

[An example case that chemoradiotherapy was succeeded for unresectable pancreas cancer].

BACKGROUND: Prognosis of pancreas cancer is extremely poor. For unresectable pancreas cancer, there has not been an effective method of treating. In our institution, the mean survival time was 13 . 6 months for a chemoradiotherapy case that used gemcitabine (GEM), but was 7.3 months for a non-treatment case in locally advanced and metastatic pancreas cancer. This time, we experienced a good case for unresectable pancreas cancer treated with chemoradiotherapy using GEM/S-1 that clearly exhibited a decrease in tumor size by tumor marker.

[A case of peritoneal recurrence of invasive carcinoma derived from IPMN after distal pancreatectomy].

The patient was a 62-year-old man who underwent distal pancreatectomy and partial resection of transverse colon with diagnosis of cystic tumor of pancreas tail in July 2006. In histology, the tumor was an invasive carcinoma derived from intraductal tumor. So, Chemotherapy using gemcitabine (GEM) was administered. Eleven months after the operation, abdominal contrast-enhanced CT showed a cystic tumor in the subdiaphragm and CEA increased to 15 .2 ng/mL. Combination chemotherapy using GEM and S-1 was administered under the diagnosis of peritoneal recurrence. CEA decreased to a normal level, but 19 months after the operation, CA19-9 increased to 187 .7 U/mL. Then, radiotherapy (a total of 40 Gy) was performed. Twenty two months after the radiotherapy, though chemotherapy using S-1 was continued, CA19-9 re- increased to 134 .2 U/mL. Abdominal contrast-enhanced CT and PET detected no other recurrent lesion. A tumor resection was performed in January 2010. In immunostaining MUC1(+), MUC2(-), MUC5AC(+), MUC6(+) and mucus expression forms as well as with previous specimen, and was diagnosed as recurrence of the invasive carcinoma derived from intraductal tumor.

[Liver histology and surgical outcomes after preoperative chemotherapy in colorectal cancer liver metastases].

We aimed to assess hepatic histopathological responses to preoperative chemotherapy in patients with colorectal liver metastasis. We selected all patients(n=34)with colorectal liver metastases between September 2006 and March 2009. The preoperative chemotherapy group was significantly associated with tumor regression, inflammatory response, sinusoidal dilatation compared with non-chemotherapy group. There was no difference in the rate of postoperative complications and hospital stay. Prolonged preoperative systemic chemotherapy alters liver parenchyma, but it does not increase postoperative complications. This should be taken into consideration before deciding a major liver resection in patients who have received preoperative chemotherapy.

Hepatic Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma Presenting Synchronously with Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a rare malignant tumor with unknown pathogenesis. Herein, we report a case of a hepatic EHE presenting synchronously with a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). To the best of our knowledge, this is the second case report of synchronous hepatic EHE and HCC. An 84-year-old man presented with back pain. During examination, a tumor in liver segment 3 was coincidentally detected. Tumor marker (carbohydrate antigen 19-9, alpha-fetoprotein, and protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II) levels were elevated. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed perinodular enhancement in the arterial and portal phases. Another tumor was detected in liver segment 2, which was homogeneously enhanced in the arterial phase, followed by washout in the portal and late phases. Based on these imaging findings, we diagnosed the tumor in segment 3 as a solitary cholangiocellular carcinoma and the tumor in segment 2 as a solitary HCC. Lateral sectionectomy of the liver was performed. Microscopically, spindle-shaped and epithelioid cells were present in the tumor in segment 3. On immunohistochemistry, the tumor cells were positive for CD31 and CD34, focally positive for D2-40, and negative for AE1/AE3. Therefore, the tumor in segment 3 was ultimately diagnosed as an EHE and the tumor in segment 2 as a well-differentiated HCC. Preoperative diagnosis of EHE is difficult owing to the lack of specific findings. Intratumoral calcification, halo sign, and lollipop sign are occasionally found in EHE and are useful imaging findings for diagnosis. Clinical behavior is unpredictable, ranging from indolent growth to rapid progression. Clinical or pathological predictors of the course of EHE are urgently required.

Successful nonoperative management by endoscopic and percutaneous drainage for penetrating pancreatic duct injury: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic trauma is a rare condition with a wide presentation, ranging from hematoma or laceration without main pancreatic duct involvement, to massive destruction of the pancreatic head. The optimal diagnosis of pancreatic trauma and its management approaches are still under debate. The East Association of Surgery for Trauma (EAST) guidelines recommend operative management for high-grade pancreatic trauma; however, several reports have reported successful outcomes with nonoperative management (NOM) for grade III/IV pancreatic injuries. Herein, we report a case of grade IV pancreatic injury that was nonoperatively managed through endoscopic and percutaneous drainage. CASE PRESENTATION: A 47-year-old Japanese man was stabbed in the back with a knife; upon blood examination, both serum amylase and lipase levels were within normal limits. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed extravasation of the contrast medium around the pancreatic head and a hematoma behind the pancreas. Abdominal arterial angiography revealed a pseudo aneurysm in the inferior pancreatoduodenal artery, as well as extravasation of the contrast medium in that artery; coil embolization was thus performed. On day 12, CT revealed a wedge-shaped, low-density area in the pancreatic head, as well as consecutive pseudocysts behind the pancreas; thereafter, percutaneous drainage was performed via the stab wound. On day 22, contrast radiography through the percutaneous drain revealed the proximal and distal parts of the main pancreatic duct. The injury was thus diagnosed as a grade IV pancreatic injury based on the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma guidelines. On day 26, an endoscopic nasopancreatic drainage tube was inserted across the disruption; on day 38, contrast-enhanced CT showed a marked reduction in the fluid collection. Finally, on day 61, the patient was discharged. CONCLUSIONS: Although the EAST guidelines recommend operative treatment for high-grade pancreatic trauma, NOM with appropriate drainage by endoscopic and/or percutaneous approaches may be a promising treatment for grade III or IV trauma.

Perioperative challenges associated with a pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer in patients with situs inversus totalis: report of two cases.

Situs inversus totalis is a rare anatomic variant of a complete mirror-image transposition of the thoracic and abdominal viscera. The performance of a pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy in patients with situs inversus totalis is both rare and challenging. We herein present two cases of pancreatic cancer with situs inversus totalis. The abdominal anatomy was preoperatively assessed by multidetectorrow computed tomography, three-dimensional reconstruction, and angiography. We herein report that a pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy with standard regional lymphadenectomy are feasible in patients with situs inversus totalis. Due to the transposition of the viscera and major blood vessels in such cases, preoperative knowledge of the exact anatomy, mapping of anomalies, and meticulous forward planning are essential for performing these technically difficult and complex hepatobiliary-pancreatic surgeries.

A case of reactive lymphoid hyperplasia of the liver in a patient with autoimmune hepatitis.

BACKGROUND: Reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (RLH) of the liver is a benign disorder. It is usually observed in the skin, orbit, thyroid, lung, breast, or gastrointestinal tract, but rarely in the liver. Since the first report of RLH of the liver in 1981, only 75 cases have been described in the past literature. Herein, we report a case of RLH of the liver in a patient with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), which was misdiagnosed as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) preoperatively and resected laparoscopically. CASE PRESENTATION: A 43-year-old Japanese woman with autoimmune hepatitis was followed up for 5 years. During her medical checkup, a hypoechoic nodule in segment 6 of the liver was detected. The nodule had been gradually increasing in size for 4 years. Abdominal ultrasound (US) revealed a round, hypoechoic nodule, 12 mm in diameter. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) demonstrated that the nodule was slightly enhanced in the arterial dominant phase, followed by perinodular enhancement in the portal and late phases. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan showed low signal intensity on the T1-weighted image (T1WI) and slightly high signal intensity on the T2-weighted image (T2WI). The findings of the Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI were similar to those of contrast-enhanced CT. Tumor markers were all within the normal range. The preoperative diagnosis was HCC and a laparoscopic right posterior sectionectomy was performed. Pathological examination revealed that the nodular lesion was infiltrated by small lymphocytes and plasma cells, and germinal centers were present. Immunohistochemistry was positive for B cell and T cell markers, indicating polyclonality. The final diagnosis was RLH of the liver. CONCLUSIONS: The pathogenesis of RLH of the liver remains unknown, and a definitive diagnosis based on imaging findings is extremely difficult. If a small, solitary nodule is found in female patients with AIH, the possibility of RLH of the liver should be considered.