Omental Flap Technique in Pancreaticojejunostomy: Does it Prevent Pancreatic Fistula Development after Pancreaticoduodenectomy?

AIM: The aim of our study was to investigate the clinical results of omental flap application during pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) anastomosis in pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) surgeries. METHODS: The data of patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy in our hospital were evaluated retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups; patients with an omental flap (Group 1) and those without an omental flap (Group 2). The demographic and other characteristics of the groups and the incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) development were compared. RESULTS: One hundred patients were included (39 females, 61 males) Group 1 consisted of 20 patients with omental flaps and Group 2 consisted of 80 patients without omental flaps. While no clinically significant (Grade B and C) leaks were observed in Group 1, both biochemical and clinically significant leak rates were lower in Group 1 compared to 4 patients (5%) in Group 2. There was no statistically significant difference compared with Group 2 (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Although not statistically significant in this study, postoperative complication rates and the incidence of POPF tended to decrease in patients who underwent omental flaps.

[Our innovations for the reduction of postoperative pancreatic fistula output]. / A posztoperatív pancreasfistula csökkentésére bevezetett innovációink.

Bevezetés: A posztoperatív pancreasfistula mind proximalis, mind distalis pancreatectomia után a legjelentosebb sebészi szövodménynek számít. A szakirodalomban nincs egyértelmuen ajánlott, megbízható módszer ezen probléma kiküszöbölésére, emiatt történnek újítások szerte a világon. Jelen közleményünkben a technikai innovációinkról számolunk be. Anyag és módszerek: 2013. január 1-jétol 2023. november 30-ig terjedo idoszakban 205 Whipple-mutétet végeztünk nyitottan, mely során a pancreatojejunalis anastomosist az általunk módosított dohányzacskó-öltéses módszerrel készítettük el. 2019. január 1. és 2023. november 30. között pedig 30 betegnél történt nyitott distalis pancreatectomia, amikor a pancreascsonkot az általunk kifejlesztett technikával, szabad rectus fascia-peritoneum grafttal fedtük, majd azt cirkuláris öltéssel rögzítettük. Közleményünkben ezen két módszerrel elért eredményeket ismertetjük. Eredmények: a demográfiai adatok megfeleltek a betegségnél szokásosnak. A posztoperatív ápolási ido és a transzfúzió igény terén észlelt különbségek tükrözték a kétféle beavatkozás eltéro invazivitását. A releváns pancreasfistula kialakulási rátája kedvezo képet mutatott, Whipple-mutét után 7,3% volt, míg distalis pancreatectomát követoen nem fejlodött ki. A reoperációs és a halálozási arányok megfeleltek az elvártaknak és korreláltak a mutétek kiterjedtségével. Következtetés: pancreas resectiók utáni komplikációk csökkentésére tett törekvéseink során a módosított dohányzacskó-öltéses pancreatojejunostomia és a pancreascsonk fedésére kidolgozott módszerünk egyaránt kedvezo eredményekkel járt.

Isolated Roux-en-Y versus single loop pancreaticojejunal reconstruction after pancreaticoduodenectomy - a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Pancreaticoduodenectomy is a complex intra-abdominal operation used for the treatment of benign and malignant disease of the pancreatic head or periampullary region. Despite developments in surgical techniques, pancreaticoduodenectomy is still associated with high rate of postoperative complications. We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the surgical outcomes of isolated Roux-en-Y pancreaticojejunostomy (IRYPJ), and conventional pancreaticojejunostomy(CPJ). METHODS: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) statement. We searched the following electronic databases - PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Clinical-Trials.gov. Published trials comparing the efficacy and safety of IRYPJ and CPJ after pancreaticoduodenectomy were evaluated. The search terms were "pancreaticoduodenectomy," "Whipple," "pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy," "pancreaticojejunostomy," "Roux-en-Y," and "isolated Roux loop pancreaticojejunostomy." Only randomised controlled trials comparing outcome of IRYPJ and CPJ after pancreaticoduodenectomy were included. The analysed outcome measures were postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), clinically relevant POPF (CR-POPF), bile leak and delayed gastric emptying (DGE). RESULTS: The initial search yielded 342 results but only four randomised control trials fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included for data synthesis and meta-analysis. Meta-analysis of POPF revealed that IRYPJ is associated with less POPF compared to CPJ but the difference was not statistically significant (risk ratio = 0.58, p = 0.56). A similar finding was also observed with CR-POPF (risk ratio = 0.17, p = 0.87) and DGE (risk ratio = 0.74, p = 0.46). CONCLUSION: Isolated Roux-en-Y pancreaticojejunostomy is not associated with a superior outcome when compared to CPJ.

One hundred consecutive pancreatic resections using a novel pancreatico-jejunostomy technique.

BACKGROUND: No single technique of remnant pancreas reconstruction after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) has been demonstrated to be superior to the others in the prevention of post-operative pancreatic fistula (POPF), and the accumulation of surgical experience is closely related to the quality of this anastomosis. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the feasibility and patient outcomes of a simplified technique involving a single-layer continuous pancreaticojejunostomy (PJA) with Falciform ligament reinforcement that can be used with all types of pancreases. METHODS: A single-centre and single-surgeon study was performed. One hundred consecutive patients undergoing pancreatic resection with subsequent PJA using a novel technique performed by a single surgeon were included in the study. Patient demographics, pre-operative treatments, risk factors for POPF, and post-operative morbidity and mortality and long-term patient outcome were prospectively recorded and reported. RESULTS: From March 2018 to March 2022, 59 male and 41 female patients were included. 91 patients underwent PD for malignancy with 32 receiving neoadjuvant treatment. 59 patients were classified as intermediate/high risk for POPF according to validated fistula prediction models. There were 12 POPF Type B and 2 POPF Type C. The overall morbidity rate was 16% with no 90-day mortality. 3 patients underwent reoperation. The median length of hospitalisation was 12.6 days and 82% of eligible patients commenced and completed adjuvant chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Single-layer continuous dunking PJA with Falciform ligament reinforcement is a simplified and feasible method for PJA with a low associated complication rate.

Technical details of robotic pancreatojejunostomy using a modified Blumgart anastomosis: Thread manipulation using gauze and an assisted port.

BACKGROUNDS: Pancreatojejunostomy is a technically demanding procedure during robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (RPD). Modified Blumgart anastomosis (mBA) is a common method for the pancreatojejunostomy; however, the technical details for robotic mBA are not well established. During RPD, we performed a mBA for the pancreatojejunostomy using thread manipulation with gauze and an additional assist port. METHODS: Patients who underwent robotic pancreatoduodenectomy at Fujita Health University from November 2009 to May 2023 were retrospectively investigated, and technical details for the robotic-modified Blumgart anastomosis were demonstrated. RESULTS: Among 78 patients who underwent RPD during the study period, 33 underwent robotic mBA. Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) occurred in six patients (18%). None of the patients suffered POPF Grade C according to the international study group of pancreatic surgery definition. The anastomotic time for mBA was 80 min (54-125 min). CONCLUSION: Robotic mBA resulted in reasonable outcomes. We propose that mBA could be used as one of the standard methods for robotic pancreatojejunosotomy.

[Study on the application of self-fixing and self-detachable drainage stent in pancreaticojejunostomy].

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the self-fixing and self-detachable drainage stent in pancreaticojejunostomy and to provide supportive data for the follow clinical trials. Methods: This is an experimental research in animals which completed from February 2022 to September 2022. A self-fixing and self-detachable pancreaticojejunostomy drainage stent was designed for Hong's pancreaticojejunostomy technique based on the theory of "fistula healing" in pancreaticojejunostomy. Ten biocompatibility tests were completed in vitro before this study. Twenty-five Bama minipigs were selected and double-ligated in the neck of the pancreas to dilate the distal main pancreatic duct. Twenty-three of them were successfully modelled and divided into three groups by a stratified random method: pancreaticojejunostomy drainage stent group (referred to as stent group) with 11 pigs, pancreatic duct to jejunal mucosa anastomosis group (referred to as manual suture group) with 8 pigs, sham operation group with 4 pigs. The anastomic time,amylase content in postoperative abdominal drainage fluid and the tolerable pressure value of pancreaticojejunostomy were compared between the stent group and the manual suture group. An abdominal X-ray fluoroscopy examination was adopted to detect the detach time of the stent. A postoperative pathological examination was performed to verify the healing time,the type of treatment and the stricture rate of pancreaticojejunostomy. Quantitative data was analyzed by independent sample t-test. The classified data were analyzed by Fisher's exact test. Results: There were no significant differences in the diameter of the pancreatic duct and pancreatic texture,the time of pancreaticojejunostomy,the amylase content in postoperative peritoneal drainage fluid,and the tolerable pressure value of the pancreaticojejunostomy between the stent group and the manual suture group(all P>0.05). Abdominal X-ray fluoroscopy showed that the stents gradually detached and were removed from the body 21 days after operation,and all stents were detached in the follow 3 months after operation. Pancreaticojejunostomy healed 7 days after operation based on fistula formation in the stent group,and 14 days in the manual suture group. The incidence of anastomotic stricture within 35 days after operation was 2/8 in the stent group and 6/8 in the manual suture group (Fisher's exact test: P=0.132). Conclusion: The stent method is safer and simpler than the manual suture method in pancreaticojejunostomy of Bama minipigs, with shorter anastomotic healing time and lower stricture rate.

How I do it. Pancreatojejunostomy: surgical tips to mitigate the severity of postoperative pancreatic fistulas after open or minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy.

Pancreatoduodenectomy is the most appropriate technique for the treatment of periampullary tumors. In the past, this procedure was associated with high mortality and morbidity, but with improvements in patient selection, anesthesia, and surgical technique, mortality has decreased to less than 5%. However, morbidity remains increased due to various complications such as delayed gastric emptying, bleeding, abdominal collections, and abscesses, most of which are related to the pancreatojejunostomy leak. Clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula is the most dangerous and is related to other complications including mortality. The incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistula ranges from 5-30%. Various techniques have been developed to reduce the severity of pancreatic fistulas, from the use of an isolated jejunal loop for pancreatojejunostomy to binding and invagination anastomoses. Even total pancreatectomy has been considered to avoid pancreatic fistula, but the late effects of this procedure are unacceptable, especially in relatively young patients. Recent studies on the main techniques of pancreatojejunostomy concluded that duct-to-mucosa anastomosis is advisable, but no technique eliminates the risk of pancreatic fistula. The purpose of this study is to highlight technical details and tips that may reduce the severity of pancreatic fistula after pancreatojejunostomy during open or minimally invasive pancreatoduodenectomy.

Independent external validation and comparison of existing pancreatic fistula risk scores after laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy with Bing's pancreaticojejunostomy.

BACKGROUND: The fistula risk score (FRS) is the widely acknowledged prediction model for clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF). In addition, the alternative FRS (a-FRS) and updated alternative FRS (ua-FRS) have been developed. This study performed external validation and comparison of these 3 models in patients who underwent laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) with Bing's pancreaticojejunostomy. METHODS: The FRS total points and predictive probabilities of a-FRS and ua-FRS were retrospectively calculated using patient data from a completed randomized controlled trial. Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) and CR-POPF were defined according to the 2016 International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery criteria. The correlations of the 4 risk items of the FRS model with CR-POPF and POPF were analyzed and represented using the Cramer V coefficient. The performance of the 3 models was measured using the area under the curve (AUC) and calibration plot and compared using the DeLong test. RESULTS: This study enrolled 200 patients. Pancreatic texture and pathology had discrimination for CR-POPF (Cramer V coefficient: 0.180 vs 0.167, respectively). Pancreatic duct diameter, pancreatic texture, and pathology had discrimination for POPF (Cramer V coefficient: 0.357 vs 0.322 vs 0.257, respectively). Only the calibration of a-FRS predicting CR-POPF was good. The differences among the AUC values of the FRS, a-FRS, and ua-FRS were not statistically significant (CR-POPF: 0.687 vs 0.701 vs 0.710, respectively; POPF: 0.733 vs 0.741 vs 0.750, respectively). After recalibrating, the ua-FRS got sufficient calibration, and the AUC was 0.713 for predicting CR-POPF. CONCLUSION: For LPD cases with Bing's pancreaticojejunostomy, the 3 models predicted POPF with better discrimination than predicting CR-POPF. The recalibrated ua-FRS had sufficient discrimination and calibration for predicting CR-POPF.

Efficacy of pancreaticojejunostomy of the pancreatic stump during distal or central pancreatectomy.

BACKGROUND: A stapler is usually used for transection and closure of the pancreas in distal pancreatectomy (DP) or central pancreatectomy (CP). When the pancreas is transected to the right of the portal vein, it is difficult to use a stapler and clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) frequently occurs. We report on the efficacy of pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) of the pancreatic stump for patients in whom stapler use is difficult. METHODS: Patients who underwent DP or CP were enrolled in this study. The pancreas was usually transected by a stapler, and ultrasonic coagulating shears (UCS) were used depending on the tumor situation. When using UCS, hand-sewn closure or PJ was performed for the pancreatic stump. The relationship between clinicopathological factors and the methods of pancreatic transection and closure were investigated. RESULTS: In total, 164 patients underwent DP or CP, and the pancreas was transected with a stapler in 150 patients and UCS in 14 patients. The rate of CR-POPF was higher and the postoperative hospital stay was longer in the UCS group than in the stapler group. PJ of the pancreatic stump, which was performed for 7 patients, did not worsen intraoperative factors. CR-POPF was not seen in these 7 patients, which was significantly less than that with hand-sewn closure. CONCLUSIONS: PJ of the pancreatic stump during DP or CP reduces CR-POPF compared with hand-sewn closure and may be useful especially when the pancreas is transected to the right of the portal vein.

Stent placement for the prevention of clinically-relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula following pancreaticojejunostomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: There remains a lack of consensus regarding the benefits of stent placement following pancreaticojejunostomy in terms of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistulas (CR-POPFs). This study was aimed at analyzing the effects of stent placement, stent technique (internal and external), stent size, and dilation of the main pancreatic duct on CR-POPFs. METHODS: Our study comprised a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials involving patients undergoing pancreaticojejunostomy. The primary outcome was defined as the incidence of CR-POPFs. Additionally, subgroup analyses were conducted, and pooled analyses were performed to provide comparative references. RESULTS: Twelve randomized controlled trials, including a total of 1117 patients, were included. Compared with no stent placement, stenting did not exhibit a significant association with reduced CR-POPF incidence (odds ratio [OR] â€‹= â€‹0.60, 95% CI: 0.34-1.04, P â€‹= â€‹0.07). Subgroup analysis revealed that only external stents, and not internal stents, were significantly associated with a reduced CR-POPF incidence compared with no stent placement (OR â€‹= â€‹0.53, 95% CI: 0.28-0.99, P â€‹= â€‹0.05 vs. OR â€‹= â€‹0.92, 95% CI: 0.28-3.05, P â€‹= â€‹0.89). Furthermore, stent placement in patients with a main pancreatic duct diameter of ≤3 â€‹mm, and not in those with a main pancreatic duct diameter of >3 â€‹mm, was associated with a significantly reduced CR-POPF incidence compared with no stent placement (OR â€‹= â€‹0.24, 95% CI: 0.07-0.78, P â€‹= â€‹0.02 vs. OR â€‹= â€‹1.58, 95% CI: 0.41-6.06, P â€‹= â€‹0.50). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest a potential role for external stent placement in the prevention of CR-POPFs after pancreaticojejunostomy, particularly in patients with undilated pancreatic ducts. The reliability of our findings is constrained by the limited number of studies included. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022380103.

Postoperative pancreatic fistula after pancreaticogastrostomy versus pancreatojejunostomy after pancreatic resection, a comparative systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: In patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), there has been some evidence favoring pancreaticogastrostomy (PG) over pancreatojejunostomy (PJ) in the occurrence of postoperative pancreatic fistulas (POPF) and considering PG as a safer anastomotic technique. However, other publications revealed comparable incidences of POPF attributed to both techniques. The current work attempts to reach a more consolidated conclusion about such an issue. METHODS: This is a systematic review and meta-analysis that analyzed the studies comparing PG and PJ during PD in terms of the rate of POPF occurrence. Studies were obtained by searching the Scopus, PubMed Central, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases. RESULTS: 35 articles published between 1995 and 2022 presented data from 14,666 patients; 4547 underwent PG and 10,119 underwent PJ. Statistically significant lower rates of POPF (p = 0.044) and clinically relevant CR-POPF (p = 0.043) were shown in the PG group. The post-pancreatectomy hemorrhage (PPH) was significantly higher in the PG group, while no significant difference was found between the two groups in the clinically significant PPH. No statistically significant differences were found regarding the amount of intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, DGE, overall morbidity rates, reoperation rates, or mortality rates. The percentage of male sex in the PG group and the percentage of soft pancreas in the PJ group seem to influence the odds ratio of CR-POPF (p = 0.076 and 0.074, respectively). CONCLUSION: The present study emphasizes the superiority of PG over PJ regarding CR-POPF rates. Higher rates of postoperative hemorrhage were associated with PG. Yet, the clinically significant hemorrhage rate was comparable between the two groups.

[Pancreaticoduodenectomy combined with longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy in the treatment of chronic pancreatitis: initial experience in 11 cases].

Objective: To investigate the surgical strategy for chronic pancreatitis complicated with suspected malignant lesions in the pancreatic head and pancreatolithiasis in the distal pancreas. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. Clinical data from 11 patients with chronic pancreatitis who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy combined with longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy(PD-L) were retrospectively collected(PD-L group) from the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University between December 2021 and September 2023. All patients were male with an age of (49.0±11.2) years(range:32 to 70 years). Their primary preoperative diagnoses included pancreatic lesions, chronic pancreatitis, pancreatolithiasis, and dilatation of the pancreatic duct. Data from 248 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy(PD) during the same period were retrospectively collected(PD group). There were 157 males and 91 females in the PD group, with an age of (61.5±10.8) years(range:27 to 82 years). Among them, 87 cases were diagnosed as pancreatic cancer or chronic pancreatitis. The propensity score matching method was used to reduce confounding bias between the two groups. The caliper value of 0.1 was used and the 1∶4 nearest neighbor matching method was used for the matching. Comparisons between the two groups were made using the independent sample t test, Mann-Whitney U test or χ2 test,respectively. Results: After complete excision of the specimen during pancreaticoduodenectomy, the key surgical step of PD-L was longitudinal pancreaticojejunostomy in the remaining pancreas. Intraoperative blood loss in the PD-L group was lower than that in the PD group [M(IQR)](300(200)ml vs. 500(500)ml, respectively; P<0.05). Similarly, hospitalization days(21.0(7.0)days vs. 25.0(8.5)days) and postoperative hospitalization days(13.0(8.0)days vs. 17.0(5.0) days) were also lower in the PD-L group compared to the PD group (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the operation time and postoperative complication rate between the two groups(P>0.05). In the PD-L group, the postoperative follow-up time was 5(5)months(range: 3 to 21 months). One case was lost for follow-up. Abdominal pain was relieved in 10 patients. Additionally, abdominal distension and steatosis were alleviated in 8 cases. Furthermore, 5 cases of diabetes mellitus showed improved control of HbA1c and fasting blood glucose levels after surgery. Conclusions: PD-L treatment can be used to treat chronic pancreatitis complicated by suspected malignant lesions in the pancreatic head and pancreatolithiasis in the distal pancreas. PD-L also has advantages in removing stones from the pancreatic duct and evaporation of pancreatic fluid. However, due to the single-center design and the small sample size of this study, further practice and long-term follow-up are still necessary.

The development of a deep learning model for automated segmentation of the robotic pancreaticojejunostomy.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive surgery provides an unprecedented opportunity to review video for assessing surgical performance. Surgical video analysis is time-consuming and expensive. Deep learning provides an alternative for analysis. Robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (RPD) is a complex and morbid operation. Surgeon technical performance of pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) has been associated with postoperative pancreatic fistula. In this work, we aimed to utilize deep learning to automatically segment PJ RPD videos. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of prospectively collected videos from 2011 to 2022 that were in libraries at tertiary referral centers, including 111 PJ videos. Each frame of a robotic PJ video was categorized based on 6 tasks. A 3D convolutional neural network was trained for frame-level visual feature extraction and classification. All the videos were manually annotated for the start and end of each task. RESULTS: Of the 100 videos assessed, 60 videos were used for the training the model, 10 for hyperparameter optimization, and 30 for the testing of performance. All the frames were extracted (6 frames/second) and annotated. The accuracy and mean per-class F1 scores were 88.01% and 85.34% for tasks. CONCLUSION: The deep learning model performed well for automated segmentation of PJ videos. Future work will focus on skills assessment and outcome prediction.

A resected case of pancreatic head cancer developing 40 years after lateral pancreaticojejunostomy for chronic pancreatitis.

A 72-year-old male patient presented to our department complaining of with upper abdominal pain and jaundice. He had a history of a side-to-side pancreaticojejunostomy performed 40 years previously for chronic pancreatitis. A diagnostic workup revealed a tumor 3 cm in size in the pancreatic head as the etiology of the jaundice. Subsequently, the patient was diagnosed with resectable pancreatic cancer. Following two cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, an extended pancreatoduodenectomy was performed because of tumor invasion at the previous pancreaticojejunostomy site. Concurrent portal vein resection and reconstruction were performed. Pathological examination confirmed invasive ductal carcinoma (T2N1M0, Stage IIB). This case highlights the clinical challenges in pancreatic head carcinoma following a side-to-side pancreaticojejunostomy. Although pancreaticojejunostomy is believed to reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer in patients with chronic pancreatitis, clinicians should be aware that, even after this surgery, there is still a chance of developing pancreatic cancer during long-term follow-up.

Cannulation of pancreaticojejunostomy anastomosis with a novel controllable catheter.

Anastomotic stenosis of hepaticojejunostomy and pancreaticojejunostomy are common adverse events after pancreaticoduodenectomy. Kuraoka and colleagues describe their method of cannulating the bile and pancreatic ducts using a novel catheter with a controllable tip, which is useful when it is difficult to align the axis of the forceps port and the anastomosis.