Are enhanced recovery protocols after pancreatoduodenectomy still efficient when applied in elderly patients? A systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This meta-analysis investigated the effects of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols compared to conventional care on postoperative outcomes in patients aged 70 years or older undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy (PD). METHODS: Five databases were systematically searched. Comparative studies with available individual patient data (IPD) were included. The main outcomes were postoperative morbidity, length of stay, readmission and postoperative functional recovery elements. To assess an age-dependent effect, the group was divided in septuagenarians (70-79 years) and older patients (≥80 years). RESULTS: IPD were obtained from 15 of 31 eligible studies comprising 1109 patients. The overall complication and major complication rates were comparable in both groups (OR 0.92 [95% CI: 0.65-1.29], p = .596 and OR 1.22 [95% CI: 0.61-2.46], p = .508). Length of hospital stay tended to be shorter in the ERAS group compared to the conventional care group (-0.14 days [95% CI: -0.29 to 0.01], p = .071) while readmission rates were comparable and the total length of stay including days in hospital after readmission tended to be shorter in the ERAS group (-0.28 days [95% CI: -0.62 to 0.05], p = .069). In the subgroups, the length of stay was shorter in octogenarians treated with ERAS (-0.36 days [95% CI: -0.71 to -0.004], p = .048). The readmission rate increased slightly but not significantly while the total length of stay was not longer in the ERAS group. CONCLUSION: ERAS in the elderly is safe and its benefits are preserved in the care of even in patients older than 80 years. Standardized care protocol should be encouraged in all pancreatic centers.

Impact of enhanced recovery protocols after pancreatoduodenectomy: meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This individual-patient data meta-analysis investigated the effects of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols compared with conventional care on postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy. METHODS: The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched systematically for articles reporting outcomes of ERAS after pancreatoduodenectomy published up to August 2020. Comparative studies were included. Main outcomes were postoperative functional recovery elements, postoperative morbidity, duration of hospital stay, and readmission. RESULTS: Individual-patient data were obtained from 17 of 31 eligible studies comprising 3108 patients. Time to liquid (mean difference (MD) -3.23 (95 per cent c.i. -4.62 to -1.85) days; P < 0.001) and solid (-3.84 (-5.09 to -2.60) days; P < 0.001) intake, time to passage of first stool (MD -1.38 (-1.82 to -0.94) days; P < 0.001) and time to removal of the nasogastric tube (3.03 (-4.87 to -1.18) days; P = 0.001) were reduced with ERAS. ERAS was associated with lower overall morbidity (risk difference (RD) -0.04, 95 per cent c.i. -0.08 to -0.01; P = 0.015), less delayed gastric emptying (RD -0.11, -0.22 to -0.01; P = 0.039) and a shorter duration of hospital stay (MD -2.33 (-2.98 to -1.69) days; P < 0.001) without a higher readmission rate. CONCLUSION: ERAS improved postoperative outcome after pancreatoduodenectomy. Implementation should be encouraged.

Enhanced recovery protocols consist of interdisciplinary interventions aimed at standardizing care and reducing the impact of surgical stress. They often include a short period of preoperative fasting during the night before surgery, early removal of lines and surgical drains, early food intake and mobilization out of bed on the day of surgery. This study gives a summary of reports assessing such care protocols in patients undergoing pancreatic head surgery, and assesses the impact of these protocols on functional recovery in an analysis of individual-patient data. The study revealed the true benefits of enhanced recovery protocols, including shorter time to food intake, earlier bowel activity, fewer complications after surgery, and a shorter hospital stay compared with conventional care.

Robotic-assisted completion cholecystectomy: A safe and effective approach to a challenging surgical scenario - A single center retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Reoperation following a previous subtotal or aborted cholecystectomy presents a challenging surgical scenario that has traditionally required an open completion cholecystectomy. The aim of this study was to describe an institutional experience with a robotic-assisted approach to completion cholecystectomy. METHODS: A database was retrospectively audited to identify all patients who underwent robotic-assisted cholecystectomy performed by two hepatopancreatobiliary surgeons at a single centre from 2010 to 2019. RESULTS: Twenty six patients who underwent a robotic-assisted completion cholecystectomy were identified. Median operative time was 142 min (48-247 min) with a blood loss of 50 cc (0-500 cc). Minor complications (Clavien-Dindo ≤ II 90 days) occurred in three patients (11.5%) with no major complication or mortality reported. Median hospital length of stay was 1 day (0-6 days) with one patient readmitted. CONCLUSION: This study represents to our knowledge the largest series of robotic-assisted completion cholecystectomies to date. The robotic approach appears to be a safe and effective procedure associated with a low morbidity and high success rate.

Unifying the Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery Fellowship Curriculum via Delphi Consensus.

BACKGROUND: Hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) Fellowship training in the Americas consists of 3 distinctive routes with variable curricula: Surgical Oncology Fellowship via the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO), Abdominal Transplant Surgery Fellowship via the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS), and HPB Fellowship via the Americas Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (AHPBA). Our objective was to establish a pan-American consensus among HPB surgeons, surgical oncologists, abdominal transplant surgeons, and general surgery residency program directors (GSPDs) on a core knowledge curriculum for HPB fellowship, and to identify topics appropriate for general surgery residency and subspecialty beyond HPB fellowship. STUDY DESIGN: A 3-round modified Delphi process was used. Baseline statements were developed by the Education and Training Committee of the AHPBA, in collaboration with representatives of the SSO, ASTS, and GSPDs. The expert panel, consisting of members of the 3 societies together with GSPDs, rated the statements on a 5-point Likert scale and suggested editing or adding new statements. A statement was included in the final curriculum when Cronbach's alpha value was ≥ 0.8 and ≥ 80% of the panel agreed on inclusion. RESULTS: The response rate was 100% for the first round, and 98% for the second and third rounds. Eighty-nine of 138 proposed statements were included in the final HPB fellowship curriculum. Curricula for general surgery residency and subspecialty beyond HPB fellowship included 50 and 29 statements, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: A multinational consensus on core knowledge for an HPB fellowship curriculum was achieved via the modified Delphi method. This core curriculum may be used to standardize HPB fellowship training across different pathways in the Americas.

Triple threat: pancreatic cystic lesion presenting with spontaneous hemorrhage is found to harbor three distinct neoplasms.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic serous cystadenoma (SCA) is a benign, cystic lesion with an indolent growth pattern. Complications such as spontaneous hemorrhage or malignant transformation from SCA are extremely rare. Our case report describes an unusual presentation of a patient with a previously diagnosed SCA, made unique by the presence of three separate neoplasms in the final specimen. CASE PRESENTATION: A 74-year-old male with a previous diagnosis of SCA presented emergently with epigastric pain and non-bilious vomiting. Laboratory results were notable for a hemoglobin of 8.3 g/dl. CT scan of the abdomen demonstrated a complex, solid-cystic mass in the pancreatic head with a large hematoma and questionable focus of active hemorrhage. Surgical resection was recommended due to the risk of malignancy, possibility of re-bleeding, and symptoms of severe duodenal compression. Pancreaticoduodenectomy was performed, and final pathology demonstrated three separate neoplasms: serous cystadenoma, intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm, and neuroendocrine tumor. CONCLUSION: While pancreatic SCA are benign tumors that can be observed safely in the majority of cases, surgical intervention is often indicated in patients with large, symptomatic cysts or when diagnosis is unclear. When undergoing surveillance, it is crucial for both the patient and the care team to be aware of the possibility of rare, but life-threatening complications, such as hemorrhage. Likewise, the possibility of misdiagnosis or concurrent neoplasia should be considered.

Use of Artificial Intelligence Deep Learning to Determine the Malignant Potential of Pancreatic Cystic Neoplasms With Preoperative Computed Tomography Imaging.

BACKGROUND: Society consensus guidelines are commonly used to guide management of pancreatic cystic neoplasms (PCNs). However, downsides of these guidelines include unnecessary surgery and missed malignancy. The aim of this study was to use computed tomography (CT)-guided deep learning techniques to predict malignancy of PCNs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with PCNs who underwent resection were retrospectively reviewed. Axial images of the mucinous cystic neoplasms were collected and based on final pathology were assigned a binary outcome of advanced neoplasia or benign. Advanced neoplasia was defined as adenocarcinoma or intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm with high-grade dysplasia. A convolutional neural network (CNN) deep learning model was trained on 66% of images, and this trained model was used to test 33% of images. Predictions from the deep learning model were compared to Fukuoka guidelines. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients met the inclusion criteria, with 18 used for training and 9 for model testing. The trained deep learning model correctly predicted 3 of 3 malignant lesions and 5 of 6 benign lesions. Fukuoka guidelines correctly classified 2 of 3 malignant lesions as high risk and 4 of 6 benign lesions as worrisome. Following deep learning model predictions would have avoided 1 missed malignancy and 1 unnecessary operation. DISCUSSION: In this pilot study, a deep learning model correctly classified 8 of 9 PCNs and performed better than consensus guidelines. Deep learning can be used to predict malignancy of PCNs; however, further model improvements are necessary before clinical use.

An objective approach to evaluate novice robotic surgeons using a combination of kinematics and stepwise cumulative sum (CUSUM) analyses.

BACKGROUND: Current evaluation methods for robotic-assisted surgery (ARCS or GEARS) are limited to 5-point Likert scales which are inherently time-consuming and require a degree of subjective scoring. In this study, we demonstrate a method to break down complex robotic surgical procedures using a combination of an objective cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis and kinematics data obtained from the da Vinci® Surgical System to evaluate the performance of novice robotic surgeons. METHODS: Two HPB fellows performed 40 robotic-assisted hepaticojejunostomy reconstructions to model a portion of a Whipple procedure. Kinematics data from the da Vinci® system was recorded using the dV Logger® while CUSUM analyses were performed for each procedural step. Each kinematic variable was modeled using machine learning to reflect the fellows' learning curves for each task. Statistically significant kinematics variables were then combined into a single formula to create the operative robotic index (ORI). RESULTS: The inflection points of our overall CUSUM analysis showed improvement in technical performance beginning at trial 16. The derived ORI model showed a strong fit to our observed kinematics data (R2 = 0.796) with an ability to distinguish between novice and intermediate robotic performance with 89.3% overall accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we demonstrate a novel approach to objectively break down novice performance on the da Vinci® Surgical System. We identified kinematics variables associated with improved overall technical performance to create an objective ORI. This approach to robotic operative evaluation demonstrates a valuable method to break down complex surgical procedures in an objective, stepwise fashion. Continued research into objective methods of evaluation for robotic surgery will be invaluable for future training and clinical implementation of the robotic platform.

Effect of Margin Status on Survival After Resection of Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma in the Modern Era of Adjuvant Therapies.

INTRODUCTION: Studies have shown that for patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HC), survival is associated with negative resection margins (R0). This requires increasingly proximal resection, putting patients at higher risk for complications, which may delay chemotherapy. For patients with microscopically positive resection margins (R1), the use of modern adjuvant therapies may offset the effect of R1 resection. METHODS: Patients at our institution with HC undergoing curative-intent resection between January 2008 and July 2019 were identified by retrospective record review. Demographic data, operative details, tumor characteristics, postoperative outcomes, recurrence, survival, and follow-up were recorded. Patients with R0 margin were compared to those with R1 margin. Patients with R2 resection were excluded. RESULTS: Seventy-five patients underwent attempted resection with 34 (45.3%) cases aborted due to metastatic disease or locally advanced disease. Forty-one (54.7%) patients underwent curative-intent resection with R1 rate of 43.9%. Both groups had similar rates of adjuvant therapy (56.5% vs. 61.1%, P = .7672). Complication rates and 30 mortality were similar between groups (all P > .05). Both groups had similar median recurrence-free survival (R0 29.2 months vs. R1 27.8 months, P = .540) and median overall survival (R0 31.2 months vs. R1 38.8 months, P = .736) with similar median follow-up time (R0 29.9 months vs. R1 28.5 months, P = .8864). CONCLUSIONS: At our institution, patients undergoing hepatic resection for HC with R1 margins have similar recurrence-free and overall survival to those with R0 margins. Complications and short-term mortality were similar. This may indicate that with use of modern adjuvant therapies obtaining an R0 resection is not an absolute mandate.

Operative Microwave Ablation for the Multimodal Treatment of Neuroendocrine Liver Metastases.

Background and Purpose: Operative microwave ablation (MWA) is a safe modality for treating hepatic tumors. The aim of this study is to present our 10-year, single-center experience of operative MWA for neuroendocrine liver metastases (NLM). Methods: A single-institution retrospective review of patients who underwent operative MWA for NLM was performed (2008-2018). Demographics, primary tumor site, operative approach, combined surgical operations, and carcinoid symptoms were recorded. Clinical outcomes for major complications, readmission, and mortality were analyzed 30 days postoperatively. Postablation imaging was evaluated for incomplete ablation/missed lesions, and surveillance imaging reviewed for local, regional, and metastatic recurrence. Results: Of the 50 patients (166 targeted lesions) who received MWA for NLM, 41 (82%) were treated with a minimally invasive approach, and 22 (44%) underwent MWA concomitant with hepatectomy and/or primary tumor resection. Within the study cohort 70% of patients were treated with curative intent with a 77% (27/35) success rate. Carcinoid symptoms were reported in 40% (20/50) of patients preoperatively, and MWA treatment improved symptoms in 19/20 patients. Incomplete ablation occurred in 1/166 treated lesions. Recurrence-free survival at 1 and 5 years was 86% and 28%, respectively. Overall survival at 1 and 5 years was 94% and 70%, respectively (median follow-up 32 months, range 0-116 months). Conclusion: Operative MWA is a versatile modality, which can be safe and effectively performed alone or combined with hepatectomy for NLM, preferably using a minimally invasive approach, to achieve symptom control and possibly improve survival.

Prospective validation of classification of intraoperative adverse events (ClassIntra): international, multicentre cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively assess the construct and criterion validity of ClassIntra version 1.0, a newly developed classification for assessing intraoperative adverse events. DESIGN: International, multicentre cohort study. SETTING: 18 secondary and tertiary centres from 12 countries in Europe, Oceania, and North America. PARTICIPANTS: The cohort study included a representative sample of 2520 patients in hospital having any type of surgery, followed up until discharge. A follow-up to assess mortality at 30 days was performed in 2372 patients (94%). A survey was sent to a representative sample of 163 surgeons and anaesthetists from participating centres. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Intraoperative complications were assessed according to ClassIntra. Postoperative complications were assessed daily until discharge from hospital with the Clavien-Dindo classification. The primary endpoint was construct validity by investigating the risk adjusted association between the most severe intraoperative and postoperative complications, measured in a multivariable hierarchical proportional odds model. For criterion validity, inter-rater reliability was evaluated in a survey of 10 fictitious case scenarios describing intraoperative complications. RESULTS: Of 2520 patients enrolled, 610 (24%) experienced at least one intraoperative adverse event and 838 (33%) at least one postoperative complication. Multivariable analysis showed a gradual increase in risk for a more severe postoperative complication with increasing grade of ClassIntra: ClassIntra grade I versus grade 0, odds ratio 0.99 (95% confidence interval 0.69 to 1.42); grade II versus grade 0, 1.39 (0.97 to 2.00); grade III versus grade 0, 2.62 (1.31 to 5.26); and grade IV versus grade 0, 3.81 (1.19 to 12.2). ClassIntra showed high criterion validity with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.76 (95% confidence interval 0.59 to 0.91) in the survey (response rate 83%). CONCLUSIONS: ClassIntra is the first prospectively validated classification for assessing intraoperative adverse events in a standardised way, linking them to postoperative complications with the well established Clavien-Dindo classification. ClassIntra can be incorporated into routine practice in perioperative surgical safety checklists, or used as a monitoring and outcome reporting tool for different surgical disciplines. Future studies should investigate whether the tool is useful to stratify patients to the appropriate postoperative care, to enhance the quality of surgical interventions, and to improve long term outcomes of surgical patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03009929.

A Single-Center Experience with Minimally Invasive Transgastric ERCP in Patients with Previous Gastric Bypass: Lessons Learned and Technical Considerations.

As bariatric surgery increases, there is a growing population of patients with biliary obstruction and anatomy which precludes transoral access through endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Minimally invasive transgastric ERCP (TG-ERCP) offers a feasible alternative for the treatment. A retrospective review was performed of all patients who underwent laparoscopic or robotic-assisted TG-ERCP between 2010 and 2017. Chart abstraction collected demographics, procedural details, success rate, and postoperative outcomes. Forty patients were identified, of which 38 cases were performed laparoscopically and two robotically. Median operative time was 163 minutes, with an estimated blood loss of 50 cc. TG-ERCP was performed successfully in 36 cases (90%); sphincterotomy was completed in 35 patients (97%). Sixty per cent already had a cholecystectomy; in the remaining patients, it was performed concurrently. Major complications included stomach perforation (n = 1), pancreatitis (n = 3), and anemia requiring transfusion (n = 2). In patients with biliary obstruction and anatomy not suitable for ERCP, TG-ERCP can be performed in a minimally invasive fashion, with a high rate of technical success and low morbidity. We describe a stepwise, reproducible technique because it is an essential tool for the shared armamentarium of endoscopists and surgeons.

The next step in surgical quality improvement: outcome situational awareness

Summary: A similar theme unites proposed solutions for stagnant improvement in outcomes and rising health care costs: eliminate unnecessary variation in the care of surgical patients. While large quality-improvement projects like the Americal College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program have historically led to improved patient outcomes at the hospital level, the next step in surgical quality improvement is to eliminate unnecessary variation at the level of the individual surgeon. Critical examination of individualized clinical, financial and patient-reported outcomes ­ outcome situational awareness ­ along with peer group comparison will help surgeons to identify variation in patient care. We are piloting an interactive software platform at our institution to provide information on individualized clinical, financial and patient-reported outcomes in real time through automatic data population of a central REDCap database. These individualized data along with peer group comparison allow surgeons to objectively determine areas of potential improvement.

The annual AHPBA HPB fellows' course: an analysis of impact and feedback.

BACKGROUND: Since 2012, the AHPBA has hosted an annual HPB Fellows' Course at Carolinas Medical Center. All fellows training in an accredited HPB fellowship are eligible to attend. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of this conference and assess possible areas of improvement. METHODS: The Carolinas Fellows' Course (CFC) is a structured educational activity involving didactics, skills labs, and live case presentations. The course emphasizes minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and intraoperative ultrasound (IOUS) technique. This is a retrospective review of a survey emailed to 95 fellows who have attended the course over a 7-year period. RESULTS: Fifty-two attendees completed the survey (54.7% response rate). Sixty-eight percent of respondents now practice primarily HPB surgery. Seventy-six percent agreed that the CFC encouraged them to incorporate IOUS into their practice, while 74% were encouraged to incorporate MIS HPB procedures into their practice. Eighty percent felt that the course laid groundwork for long term communication with peers. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates that a multisite instructional course can be an effective way to encourage the development of new skills, boost operational confidence, impact real world practices, and foster long term communication and networking among fellows after graduation.

Prognostic impact of the Bismuth-Corlette classification: Higher rates of local unresectability in stage IIIb hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The Bismuth-Corlette (BC) classification is used to categorize hilar cholangiocarcinoma by proximal extension along the biliary tree. As the right hepatic artery crosses just behind the left bile duct, we hypothesized that BC IIIb tumors would have a higher likelihood of local unresectability due to involvement of the contralateral artery. METHODS: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database identified patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma taken to the operating room for intended curative resection between April 2008 and September 2016. Cases were assigned BC stages based on preoperative imaging. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients were included in the study. All underwent staging laparoscopy after which 16 cases were aborted for metastatic disease. Of the remaining 52 cases, 14 cases were explored and aborted for locally advanced disease. Thirty-eight underwent attempt at curative resection. After excluding cases aborted for metastatic disease, the chance of proceeding with resection was 55.6% for BC IIIb staged lesions compared to 80.0% of BC IIIa lesions and to 82.4% for BC I-IIIa staged lesions (P < 0.05). About 44.4% of BC IIIb lesions were aborted for locally advanced disease versus 17.6% of remaining BC stages. CONCLUSIONS: When hilar cholangiocarcinoma is preoperatively staged as BC IIIb, surgeons should anticipate higher rates of locally unresectable disease, likely involving the right hepatic artery.

Efficacy of a Laparoscopic Saline-Coupled Bipolar Sealer in Minimally Invasive Hepatobiliary Surgery.

Hepatic resection presents unique surgical challenges to reduce blood loss during parenchymal division. The development of saline-coupled bipolar devices, in which hemostasis is achieved at lower temperatures than electrocautery or other bipolar sealing devices, have been employed for open hepatic resection. Saline-coupled bipolar devices have now become available for minimally invasive use. The goals of this study were to evaluate the feasibility and safety of a laparoscopic saline-coupled bipolar device for minimally invasive hepatectomy. Seventeen patients (median age 66 years, range 36-81) were consented for inclusion and enrolled. Patient demographics, intraoperative data, and surgeon feedback were collected. Seven robot-assisted partial hepatectomies, 9 laparoscopic partial hepatectomies, and 1 laparoscopic cholecystectomy with liver abscess resection were performed. Average operating time was 222 ± 33 minutes (median 188 minutes; range 61-564 minutes) with no difference between robotic versus laparoscopic time. Successful seals were achieved in all cases following application of 150 to 200 J energy (average 179 ± 3 J, average time to achieve a successful seal 9.3 ± 2.7 minutes). Estimated blood loss was 362 ± 74 mL (median 300 mL, range 5-1200 mL) and 3/17 patients received intraoperative blood transfusion. No bile leaks were detected in any of the patients. Median length of stay was 5 days (range 1-20 days), and there were no readmissions within 30 days. Postoperative morbidity occurred in 5/17 patients, all of which were Clavien Grade 1. There was no mortality within 90 days or complications requiring a return to the operating room, and there were no liver-specific morbidities. These data suggest the laparoscopic Aquamantys device represents a useful device for use in minimally invasive liver resection.

Experimental High-Frequency Irreversible Electroporation Using a Single-Needle Delivery Approach for Nonthermal Pancreatic Ablation In Vivo.

PURPOSE: To investigate the feasibility of single-needle high-frequency irreversible electroporation (SN-HFIRE) to create reproducible tissue ablations in an in vivo pancreatic swine model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SN-HFIRE was performed in swine pancreas in vivo in the absence of intraoperative paralytics or cardiac synchronization using 3 different voltage waveforms (1-5-1, 2-5-2, and 5-5-5 [on-off-on times (µs)], n = 6/setting) with a total energized time of 100 µs per burst. At necropsy, ablation size/shape was determined. Immunohistochemistry was performed to quantify apoptosis using an anticleaved caspase-3 antibody. A numerical model was developed to determine lethal thresholds for each waveform in pancreas. RESULTS: Mean tissue ablation time was 5.0 ± 0.2 minutes, and no cardiac abnormalities or muscle twitch was detected. Mean ablation area significantly increased with increasing pulse width (41.0 ± 5.1 mm2 [range 32-66 mm2] vs 44 ± 2.1 mm2 [range 38-56 mm2] vs 85.0 ± 7.0 mm2 [range 63-155 mm2]; 1-5-1, 2-5-2, 5-5-5, respectively; p < 0.0002 5-5-5 vs 1-5-1 and 2-5-2). The majority of the ablation zone did not stain positive for cleaved caspase-3 (6.1 ± 2.8% [range 1.8-9.1%], 8.8 ± 1.3% [range 5.5-14.0%], and 11.0 ± 1.4% [range 7.1-14.2%] cleaved caspase-3 positive 1-5-1, 2-5-2, 5-5-5, respectively), with significantly more positive staining at the 5-5-5 pulse setting compared with 1-5-1 (p < 0.03). Numerical modeling determined a lethal threshold of 1114 ± 123 V/cm (1-5-1 waveform), 1039 ± 103 V/cm (2-5-2 waveform), and 693 ± 81 V/cm (5-5-5 waveform). CONCLUSIONS: SN-HFIRE induces rapid, predictable ablations in pancreatic tissue in vivo without the need for intraoperative paralytics or cardiac synchronization.

Benchmarks in Pancreatic Surgery: A Novel Tool for Unbiased Outcome Comparisons.

OBJECTIVE: To use the concept of benchmarking to establish robust and standardized outcome references after pancreatico-duodenectomy (PD). BACKGROUND: Best achievable results after PD are unknown. Consequently, outcome comparisons among different cohorts, centers or with novel surgical techniques remain speculative. METHODS: This multicenter study analyzes consecutive patients (2012-2015) undergoing PD in 23 international expert centers in pancreas surgery. Outcomes in patients without significant comorbidities and major vascular resection (benchmark cases) were analyzed to establish 20 outcome benchmarks for PD. These benchmarks were tested in a cohort with a poorer preoperative physical status (ASA class ≥3) and a cohort treated by minimally invasive approaches. RESULTS: Two thousand three hundred seventy-five (38%) low-risk cases out of a total of 6186 PDs were analyzed, disclosing low in-hospital mortality (≤1.6%) but high morbidity, with a 73% benchmark morbidity rate cumulated within 6 months following surgery. Benchmark cutoffs for pancreatic fistulas (B-C), severe complications (≥ grade 3), and failure-to-rescue rate were 19%, 30%, and 9%, respectively. The ASA ≥3 cohort showed comparable morbidity but a higher in hospital-mortality (3% vs 1.6%) and failure-to-rescue rate (16% vs 9%) than the benchmarks. The proportion of benchmark cases performed varied greatly across centers and continents for both open (9%-93%) and minimally invasive (11%-62%) PD. Centers operating mostly on complex PD cases disclosed better results than those with a majority of low-risk cases. CONCLUSION: The proposed outcome benchmarks for PD, established in a large-scale international patient cohort and tested in 2 different cohorts, may allow for meaningful comparisons between different patient cohorts, centers, countries, and surgical techniques.

Ex vivo liver resection coupled with associated liver partition and portal vein ligation: Combining existing techniques to achieve surgical resectability.

Incorporation of liver transplant techniques in hepatopancreaticobiliary surgery has created an opportunity for the resection of locally advanced hepatic tumors formerly considered unresectable. A 73-year-old woman presented with cholangiocarcinoma involving inferior vena cava, all three hepatic veins, and right anterior portal pedicle, initially deemed nonoperative. This case demonstrates the first combined application of associating liver partition and portal vein ligation for staged hepatectomy and ex vivo resection to perform an R0. For diseases dependent upon resection, surgical advances and innovations expand the spectrum of interventions through interdisciplinary techniques.