Determination of malignant and invasive predictors in branch duct type intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas: a suggested scoring formula.

Prediction of malignancy or invasiveness of branch duct type intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (Br-IPMN) is difficult, and proper treatment strategy has not been well established. The authors investigated the characteristics of Br-IPMN and explored its malignancy or invasiveness predicting factors to suggest a scoring formula for predicting pathologic results. From 1994 to 2008, 237 patients who were diagnosed as Br-IPMN at 11 tertiary referral centers in Korea were retrospectively reviewed. The patients' mean age was 63.1 ± 9.2 yr. One hundred ninty-eight (83.5%) patients had nonmalignant IPMN (81 adenoma, 117 borderline atypia), and 39 (16.5%) had malignant IPMN (13 carcinoma in situ, 26 invasive carcinoma). Cyst size and mural nodule were malignancy determining factors by multivariate analysis. Elevated CEA, cyst size and mural nodule were factors determining invasiveness by multivariate analysis. Using the regression coefficient for significant predictors on multivariate analysis, we constructed a malignancy-predicting scoring formula: 22.4 (mural nodule [0 or 1]) + 0.5 (cyst size [mm]). In invasive IPMN, the formula was expressed as invasiveness-predicting score = 36.6 (mural nodule [0 or 1]) + 32.2 (elevated serum CEA [0 or 1]) + 0.6 (cyst size [mm]). Here we present a scoring formula for prediction of malignancy or invasiveness of Br-IPMN which can be used to determine a proper treatment strategy.

Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy using modified hemi-double stapling.

For reconstruction after distal gastrectomy, the Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy is superior to the Billroth II gastrojejunostomy in terms of bile reflux. Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy prevents reflux gastritis, esophagitis, and carcinogenesis of the gastric remnant. However, the Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy is relatively complicated and lengthy. The authors perform a simple, safe Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy using modified hemi-double stapling. We applied this technique to 42 patients with gastric cancer. The average operating and reconstruction times were 172.6 +/- 42.0 and 26.2 +/- 4.8 min, respectively. The postoperative courses were uneventful and the patients were discharged 11.2 +/- 2.4 days postoperatively. Neither leakage nor bleeding from the gastrojejunostomy has occurred postoperatively. The postoperative follow-up was 7-24 months and no local recurrence or stricture at the gastrojejunostomy site occurred. Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy using the modified hemi-double stapling technique can achieve reconstruction more simply, safely and quickly, and may provide an alternative reconstruction method for distal gastrectomy.

Polysplenia syndrome with preduodenal portal vein detected in adults.

Polysplenia syndrome, defined as the presence of multiple spleens of almost equal volume, is a rare condition involving congenital anomalies in multiple organ systems. We report this anomaly in a 41-year-old female who underwent a left lateral sectionectomy due to recurrent cholangitis and impacted left lateral duct stones. Polysplenia syndrome with preduodenal vein was diagnosed preoperatively by computed tomography (CT) and surgery was done safely. Although the polysplenia syndrome with preduodenal portal vein (PDPV) in adult is rarely encountered, surgeons need to understand the course of the portal vein and exercise caution in approaching the biliary tract.

Self-expandable metallic stents for palliation of patients with malignant gastric outlet obstruction caused by stomach cancer.

AIM: To ascertain clinical outcome and complications of self-expandable metal stents for endoscopic palliation of patients with malignant obstruction of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed throughout August 2000 to June 2005 of 53 patients with gastric outlet obstruction caused by stomach cancer. All patients had symptomatic obstruction including nausea, vomiting, and decreased oral intake. All received self-expandable metallic stents. RESULTS: Stent implantation was successful in all 53 (100%) patients. Relief of obstructive symptoms was achieved in 43 (81.1%) patients. No immediate stent-related complications were noted. Seventeen patients had recurrent obstruction (tumor ingrowth in 14 patients, tumor overgrowth in 1 patient, and partial distal stent migration in 2 patients). The mean survival was 145 d. Median stent patency time was 187 d. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic placement of self-expandable metallic stents is a safe and effective treatment for the palliation of patients with inoperable malignant gastric outlet obstruction caused by stomach cancer.

Changes in plasma ghrelin concentration immediately after gastrectomy in patients with early gastric cancer.

Although the majority of circulating ghrelin originates from the stomach, no prospective study of the proportion of ghrelin derived from the stomach has been reported. Patients with early gastric cancer who underwent gastric resection were divided into three groups according to the extent and site of gastric resection: subtotal gastrectomy group (n = 24), proximal gastrectomy group (n = 4), and total gastrectomy group (n = 12). Patients with advanced gastric cancer who underwent gastrojejunostomy without gastrectomy served as the bypass group (n = 5). Blood samples were collected from all patients preoperatively, at 1 h after gastric resection or gastrojejunostomy, and on postoperative d 1, 3, and 7. The plasma ghrelin level was determined in all samples and expressed as a percentage of the preoperative level. In the bypass group, no significant drop in the ghrelin level was observed at 1 h after gastrojejunostomy, and the ghrelin level remained stable through postoperative d 7. In the subtotal gastrectomy group, the ghrelin concentration reached a nadir of 38.8 +/- 12.9% of preoperative levels at 1 h after gastric resection and then gradually increased to 88.1 +/- 13.2% by postoperative d 7. In the proximal gastrectomy group, the nadir ghrelin level was 24.5 +/- 15.4% at 1 h after gastric resection and was followed by a gradual recovery. However, the recovery rate was slower than that in the subtotal gastrectomy group, with the ghrelin level reaching only 47.6 +/- 18.8% by postoperative d 7 (P < 0.05). In the total gastrectomy group, the nadir ghrelin level was 28.6 +/- 11.1% at 1 h after gastric resection and remained at 30.0 +/- 13.2% until postoperative d 7. These results suggest that compensatory ghrelin production can occur in the remnant stomach after the surgical removal of part of the stomach and that the proximal fundus is more important than the distal antrum and body in terms of the capacity for ghrelin production. The principal site of ghrelin production is clearly the stomach, which contributes 70% of the circulating ghrelin concentration.

Right trisegmentectomy with thoracoabdominal approach after transarterial embolization for giant hepatic hemangioma.

Hepatic hemangiomas need to be treated surgically in cases where they are accompanied with symptoms, have a risk of rupture, or are hardly distinguishable from malignancy. The present authors conducted embolization of the right hepatic artery one day before an operation for a huge hemangioma accompanied with symptoms and confirmed a decrease in its size. The authors performed a right trisegmentectomy through a J-shape incision, using a thoracoabdominal approach, and safely removed a giant hemangioma of 32.0 cm x 26.5 cm x 8.0 cm in size and 2300 g in weight. Even for inexperienced surgeons, a J-shape incision with a thoracoabdominal approach is considered a safe and useful method when right-side hepatectomy is required for a large mass in the right liver.

Endoscopic stenting in patients with recurrent malignant obstruction after gastric surgery: uncovered versus simultaneously deployed uncovered and covered (double) self-expandable metal stents.

BACKGROUND: Uncovered, rather than covered, metal stents are commonly used for palliation of malignant gastric outlet obstruction because of the low risk of stent migration, but tumor ingrowth risk is a major drawback. Few reports address malignant obstruction after gastric surgery. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to compare the technical feasibility and clinical outcome of using an endoscopic uncovered self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) and simultaneous use of uncovered and covered SEMS (double SEMS) in patients with recurrent malignant obstruction after gastric surgery. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Tertiary care, academic medical center, from August 2000 to June 2005. PATIENTS: Twenty patients were included in the study. All patients had symptomatic obstruction with nausea, vomiting, and decreased oral intake. INTERVENTION: Ten patients received uncovered SEMS; the other 10 received double SEMS. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: To compare tumor ingrowth and stent patency between the uncovered and the double-SEMS groups. RESULTS: Technical and clinical successes were 10 of 10 and 8 of 10, respectively, in the uncovered SEMS group and 10 of 10 and 10 of 10, respectively, in the double SEMS group. Six of 10 patients (60%) with uncovered SEMS had tumor ingrowth compared with 1 of 10 patients with double SEMS, P = .057. Five of 10 patients (50%) with uncovered SEMS had very early restenosis, but no patients had early restenosis in the double SEMS group, P = .033. Stent patency was a median of 21.5 days (range, 7-217 days) in the uncovered SEMS group and 150 days (range 29-263 days) in the double SEMS group, P = .037. Survival duration was 109.5 days (range 29-280 days) and 150 days (range 29-263 days), respectively. LIMITATIONS: This was a small retrospective study. CONCLUSION: Simultaneous double stent placement seems to be technically feasible and effective for palliative treatment of recurrent malignant obstruction after gastric surgery. Double stent placement is important in preventing tumor ingrowth, especially very early restenosis, and prolongs stent patency. We suggest that this procedure be considered rather than uncovered stent alone as the primary choice for palliation of obstruction in such patients.