Prevention and Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer.

Preventing cancer has much to offer. Aside from plummeting health care costs, we might enjoy a healthier life free of cancer and chronic disease. Prevention requires the adoption of healthier choices and a moderate amount of exercise. The supporting evidence is observational, clinical, and partly common sense. Further investigations reveal several substances in a whole-food plant-based diet that have protective effects and an inhibitory effect on tumor development. For pancreatic cancer, the basis of cure remains a century old operation that rarely cures. With little to lose, prevention deserves center stage and additional studies.

A Tale of 2 Techniques: Preoperative Biliary Drainage and Routine Surgical Drainage with Pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Preoperative drainage of an obstructed biliary tree before pancreaticoduodenal resection (PDR) and placement of intraabdominal drains following pancreatic resection have been suggested to be both unnecessary and associated with a higher complication rate. The evidence for and against that practice is presented and analyzed to highlight its risks and benefits. A selective approach on an individual basis for preoperative biliary decompression is advocated, based on multiple factors. Additionally, the evidence for routine use of surgical drains after PDR is critically reviewed and the rationale for routine drainage is made.

Cancer of the Pancreas-Actual 5, 10, and 20+Year Survival: The Lucky and Fortunate Few.

Cancer of the pancreas (CaP) is a dismal, uncommon, systemic malignancy. This article updates an earlier experience of actual long-term survival of CaP in patients treated between 1991 to 2000, and reviews the literature. Survival is expressed as actual, not projected, survival.

Rare, Uncommon, and Unusual Complications After Pancreaticoduodenal Resection.

Complications after pancreaticoduodenal resection occur in at least 30% of patients. Most are a direct result of an intraoperative event, dissection, or anastomoses which account for the most serious morbidities, sepsis, pseudoaneurysms, and hemorrhage. Rarely, complications are due to the systemic impact of the procedure even if the procedure itself was unremarkable. Rare systemic complications after PDR (Transfusion transmitted Babesiosis, pituitary apoplexy, and TRALI) and a number of uncommon and unusual other complications are discussed. Pancreaticoduodenal resection is a significant operation with serious consequences. Decisions on selection of candidates and safe operations should be thoughtful and always in surgeons' minds.

What is the incidence of biliary carcinoma in choledochal cysts, when do they develop, and how should it affect management?

The incidence of cancer in choledochal cysts (CCs) in adults was calculated to determine the timing and need for surgery. In 78 publications (1996-2010), 434 of 5780 reported CCs patients had cancer. Cholangiocarcinoma (70.4 %) and gallbladder cancer (23.5 %) were the most common malignancies. Only nine malignancies were reported before age 18 (0.42 %). In contrast, the incidence of malignancy in adults was 11.4 %. The median age for diagnosis of cancer was 42 years, and the incidence increased with each decade.

Familial pancreatic cancer: the case for prophylactic pancreatectomy in lieu of serial screening and shared decision making.

At-risk family members with familial pancreatic cancer (FCaP) face uncertainty regarding the individual risk of developing pancreatic cancer (CaP) and whether to choose serial screening or prophylactic pancreatectomy to avoid CaP. We treated 2 at-risk siblings with a history of FCaP, congenital hepatic fibrosis (CHF), and jaundice secondary to a bile duct stricture. In one, a pancreaticoduodenal resection was done and in the second a total pancreatectomy. Malignancy was not present, but extensive pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIn) 2 was present throughout both pancreata. The clinical course and literature review are presented along with the previously unreported association of CHF and CaP.

Hepatic actinomycosis mimicking an isolated tumor recurrence.

Actinomyces species has been described as an opportunistic pathogen, particularly in the oral cavity; however, in rare cases these bacteria can cause actinomycosis which is characterized by formation of abscesses in the mouth, lungs, or gastrointestinal tract. Actinomycosis was commonly present in the pre-antibiotic era; however, it has a low prevalence now days. It has been recognized since 150 years ago, but because of its variable clinical presentation and indolent course, its recognition is difficult and patients are often misdiagnosed. Here we present a case of primary hepatic actinomycosis presenting as a metastatic liver tumor.

Superior mesenteric artery originating from the celiac axis: a rare vascular anomaly.

The knowledge of the vascular anatomy of the concerned region is an important prerequisite for planning surgical intervention. The awareness of the existing vascular anomalies enhances the insight regarding that region. We report a patient undergoing preoperative evaluation with CTA finding of Superior Mesenteric Artery (SMA) originating from the celiac artery. This celiac-mesenteric trunk is rare (<1%).

Alternative reconstruction after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

BACKGROUND: Pancreaticoduodenectomy is the procedure of choice for tumors of the head of the pancreas and periampulla. Despite advances in surgical technique and postoperative care, the procedure continues to carry a high morbidity rate. One of the most common morbidities is delayed gastric emptying with rates of 15%-40%. Following two prolonged cases of delayed gastric emptying, we altered our reconstruction to avoid this complication altogether. Subsequently, our patients underwent a classic pancreaticoduodenectomy with an undivided Roux-en-Y technique for reconstruction. METHODS: We reviewed the charts of our last 13 Whipple procedures evaluating them for complications, specifically delayed gastric emptying. We compared the outcomes of those patients to a control group of 15 patients who underwent the Whipple procedure with standard reconstruction. RESULTS: No instances of delayed gastric emptying occurred in patients who underwent an undivided Roux-en-Y technique for reconstruction. There was 1 wound infection (8%), 1 instance of pneumonia (8%), and 1 instance of bleeding from the gastrojejunal staple line (8%). There was no operative mortality. CONCLUSION: Use of the undivided Roux-en-Y technique for reconstruction following the Whipple procedure may decrease the incidence of delayed gastric emptying. In addition, it has the added benefit of eliminating bile reflux gastritis. Future randomized control trials are recommended to further evaluate the efficacy of the procedure.

Bilateral synchronous breast cancer in a male.

Breast cancer in males is rare, accounting for less than 1% of all cases. Bilateral male breast cancer is reported to occur in fewer than 2% of all the diagnosed cases of male breast cancer, and synchronous tumors are exceedingly rare. The authors report a case of male breast cancer that is bilateral and synchronous, and review the literature on male breast cancer.

Endoscopic subfascial perforator vein surgery for patients with severe, chronic venous insufficiency.

Before 1985, surgery on incompetent perforator veins in patients with severe, chronic, venous insufficiency and venous ulcerations was generally performed utilizing long skin incisions through diseased skin and subcutaneous tissues. Known as "the Linton operation," wound infections and poor healing complicated this procedure. In 1985 G. Hauer demonstrated a new surgical technique for identifying and ligating incompetent perforator veins using an endoscopic approach in the limbs' subfascial space. This seminal contribution marked the advent of subfascial endoscopic perforator surgery (SEPS). From 1996 to 2003 our group prospectively collected data on 86 patients with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) who underwent a SEPS procedure. Preoperative assessment consisted of color-flow duplex ultrasound scanning and ascending and descending phlebography. The patient's ages ranged from 42 to 82 years (mean 60). A total of 98 limbs underwent the SEPS procedure from the cohort group of 86 patients. The CHEAP classification of the limb disease was used: 45 limbs were classified as group C5, 53 limbs group C6. Ninety-eight SEPS procedures were performed without significant morbidity on 86 patients. Of the 53 limbs in class C6, 41 had ulcer healing within 12 weeks. The remaining 12 limbs in class C6 had ulcer healing within 6 months. In this latter group, 9 had ulcers greater than 4 cm in widest diameter. These patients underwent a split-thickness skin graft at the time the SEPS procedure was performed. The grafts have remained intact after 2 years in this cohort group. The results of this study demonstrate that the SEPS procedure incorporated into the overall treatment plan for patients with CVI produces excellent healing with minimal postoperative complications. The study also underscores the important role incompetent perforator veins have in the formation of venous ulcers.