Emergency pancreaticoduodenectomy for non-traumatic indications-a systematic review.

PURPOSE: Emergency pancreaticoduodenectomy (EPD) is an uncommon surgical procedure; usually, it is performed in traumatic cases, with non-traumatic indications being very rare. Our review aimed to offer a comprehensive descriptive overview of the characteristics of EPD in non-traumatic settings. METHODS: Our study is a review of individual participant data. PubMed, Cochrane, Google Scholar and Embase databases were searched. The last search was conducted in March 2022; studies that reported EPD for non-traumatic indications were included in the analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-six articles were identified, twenty-five providing individual participant data; 17 articles (68%) were case reports. One article was a large retrospective study on the NSQIP (American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement) database, which enrolled 409 patients that underwent EPD for malignant causes. From the other studies, we extracted individual participant data for a total of 66 patients. The patients were divided in subgroups, based on the indication for surgery: malignant causes (39.39%), uncontrollable bleeding (19.69%), iatrogenic injuries (30.3%), perforations (4.54%), or ischemic causes (6.06%). The postoperative morbidity was higher for the perforation subgroup. Postoperative pancreatic fistula is the most common complication reported (21.21%); higher rates were reported in the malignant and bleeding subgroups, with no special mention of this complication in the NSQIP database study. Mortality rate was 10.3% in the NSQIP database and higher, 19.69% in the 66-patient cohort; the highest mortality rates were registered in the perforation and ischemic subgroup. CONCLUSION: EPD is a complex surgical intervention, with important associated morbidity and mortality rates, higher than that in elective settings, although it can be a life-saving procedure in selected cases and should be performed only in high-experience centres.

Esophagojejunostomy after total gastrectomy for caustic injuries.

The objective of the study was to compare outcomes of emergency esophagogastrectomy (EGT) and total gastrectomy with immediate esophagojejunostomy (EJ) in patients with full-thickness caustic necrosis of the stomach and mild esophageal injuries. After caustic ingestion, optimal management of the esophageal remnant following removal of the necrotic stomach remains a matter of debate. Between 1987 and 2012, 26 patients (men 38%, median age 44 years) with isolated transmural gastric necrosis underwent EGT (n = 14) or EJ (n = 12). Early and long-term outcomes of both groups were compared. The groups were similar regarding age (P = 0.66), gender (0.24), and severity of esophageal involvement. Functional success was defined as nutritional autonomy after removal of the jejunostomy and tracheotomy tubes. Emergency morbidity (67% vs. 64%, P = 0.80), mortality (17% vs. 7%, P = 0.58), and reoperation rates (25% vs.14%, P = 0.63) were similar after EJ and EGT. One patient (8%) experienced EJ leakage. One patient in the EJ group and 13 patients in the EGT group underwent esophageal reconstruction (P < 0.0001). Aggregate in hospital length of stay was significantly longer in patients who underwent EGT (median 83 [33-201] vs. 36 [10-82] days, P = 0.001). Functional success after EJ and EGT was similar (90% vs.69%, P = 0.34). Immediate EJ can be safely performed after total gastrectomy for caustic injuries and reduces the need of further esophageal reconstruction.

Functional disorders and quality of life after esophagectomy and gastric tube reconstruction for cancer.

Functional disorders such as delayed gastric emptying, dumping syndrome or duodeno-gastro-esophageal reflux occur in half of the patients who undergo esophagectomy and gastric tube reconstruction for cancer. The potential role for pyloroplasty in the prevention of functional disorders is still debated. Antireflux fundoplication during esophagectomy can apparently reduce the reflux but at the cost of increasing the complexity of the operation; it is not widely used. The treatment of functional disorders arising after esophagectomy and gastroplasty for cancer is based mainly on dietary measures. Proton pump inhibitors have well documented efficiency and should be given routinely to prevent reflux complications. Erythromycin may prevent delayed gastric emptying, but it should be used with caution in patients with cardiovascular disorders. In the event of anastomotic stricture, endoscopic dilatation is usually efficient. Problems related to gastrointestinal functional disorders after esophageal resection and gastric tube reconstruction do not significantly impair long-term quality of life, which is mainly influenced by tumor recurrence.

Oesophagogastrectomy and pancreatoduodenectomy for caustic injury.

BACKGROUND: The justification for pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) for extended duodenal and pancreatic caustic necrosis is still a matter of debate. METHODS: This was a retrospective evaluation of patients who underwent PD in association with oesophagogastrectomy from a large single-centre cohort of patients with caustic injuries. Morbidity, mortality and long-term outcome were assessed. RESULTS: PD was performed in 18 (6·6 per cent) of 273 patients who underwent emergency surgery for caustic injuries. Biliary and pancreatic duct reconstruction during PD was performed in ten and six patients respectively. Seven patients died and 17 experienced operative complications after PD for caustic injuries. Twelve patients required at least one reoperation. Specific PD-related complications occurred in 13 patients. Initial (P = 0·038) or secondary (P < 0·001) extension of necrosis to adjacent organs were independent predictors of operative death. After a median follow-up of 24 months following reconstruction, three patients had recovered nutritional autonomy. In an intention-to-treat analysis, functional success was recorded in three patients and the 5-year survival rate was 39 per cent after PD for caustic injury. CONCLUSION: PD can save the lives of patients with caustic injuries extending beyond the pylorus, but has poor functional outcome. Immediate pancreatic duct reconstruction should be preferred to duct occlusion to decrease the rate of pancreatic complications.

Esophageal perforations.

The incidence of esophageal perforation (EP) has risen with the increasing use of endoscopic procedures, which are currently the most frequent causes of EP. Despite decades of clinical experience, innovations in surgical technique and advances in intensive care management, EP still represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. EP is a devastating event and mortality hovers close to 20%. Ambiguous presentations leading to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment and the difficulties in management are responsible for the high morbidity and mortality rates. A high variety of treatment options are available ranging from observational medical therapy to radical esophagectomy. The potential role of interventional endoscopy and the use of stents for the treatment of EP seem interesting but remain to be evaluated. Surgical primary repair, with or without reinforcement, is the preferred approach in patients with EP. Prognosis is mainly determined by the cause, the location of the injury and the delay between perforation and initiation of therapy.

Hepatocellular carcinoma--what's new?

The increasing incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has led several countries to standardize and update its management. This review aims at summarizing these evolutions through six questions focusing on diagnosis and treatment. The radiological diagnosis of this tumor has been refined. Besides being hypervascular at the arterial phase, the "washout" in particular at the late phase of injection has become a prominent feature. Although routine ultrasound remains the corner stone of screening, contrast ultrasound has become a very reliable characterization tool as it allows continuous monitoring of the vascular kinetics. Biopsy of the tumor allows identification of conventional or molecular prognosis features, some of which could be used in current practice. The metabolic syndrome is an increasing etiology of HCC and carcinogenesis in this context may not always require the development of formal underlying cirrhosis. Associated (in particular cardiovascular) conditions account for an increased morbidity-mortality following surgery. Liver transplantation is the most effective treatment of early-stage tumors. The limited availability of grafts has led some countries including France to implement new allocation rules that are still evaluated and might need to be refined. Sorafenib is the first medical treatment shown to be effective in the treatment of HCC. This efficacy is however still limited and its indication is therefore restricted to Child-Pugh A, OMS 0-2 patients in whom a potentially curative treatment is contraindicated.

[Colonic interposition for esophageal replacement after caustic ingestion]. / Reconstruction oesophagienne pour séquelles de brûlure caustique: coloplasties, mode d'emploi.

Retrosternal coloplasty is the gold standard for esophageal reconstruction after caustic injury of the digestive tract. Complete preoperative otolaryngology evaluation and the control of the psychiatric disease are key factors for success. In the absence of controlled studies, the choice between the right and the left colon graft relies on the anatomy of the blood supply to the colon and on the individual surgeon's preference. Treatment of associated pharyngeal and laryngeal injuries is mandatory at the time of esophageal reconstruction. In experienced hands mortality rates are less than 5% but specific postoperative complications (graft necrosis, leakage, anastomotic stricture) are high. The low risk of cancer development in the by-passed esophagus does not justify routine esophagectomy at the time of reconstruction. Sixty to eighty percent of patients would finally retrieve nutritional autonomy after coloplasty for caustic injury. Late acquired dysfunctions of the coloplasty (anastomotic strictures, graft redundancy) requiring revision surgery occur frequently and might jeopardize an already fragile functional result. Timely diagnosis and treatment of such complications and the necessity of continuous psychological surveillance justify the need for long term follow up in these patients.