Outcome of combined pancreatic and biliary fistulas after pancreatoduodenectomy.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) as well as postoperative biliary fistula (POBF) are considered the main source of postoperative morbidity and mortality after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD). However, little is known about the incidence and complications of combined POPF/POBF compared to isolated POPF or POBF. METHODS: This single-center study investigated retrospectively the incidence and postoperative outcome of combined POPF/POBF compared to isolated fistulas following PD in a tertiary German pancreatic center between 2009 and 2018. RESULTS: A total of 678 patients underwent PD for benign and malignant periampullary lesions. Combined fistulas occurred in 6%, isolated POPF in 16%, and isolated POBF in 2%. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma and chronic pancreatitis had a protective effect on the occurrence of combined fistulas, whereas serous cystadenoma and pancreatic metastasis were risk factors. Morbidity (Grade C fistula, post-pancreatectomy hemorrhage, revisional surgery) and mortality was significantly higher in patients with combined fistulas than in those with isolated fistula. Moreover, the duration of ICU stay was longer. CONCLUSIONS: A combined POPF/POBF is associated with a significant increase of morbidity and mortality compared to isolated fistulas after PD. Early surgical revision in these patients may improve the postoperative survival rate.

Preserving a Rare Type of Variant Right Hepatic Artery Combines Surgical Radicality and Intact Liver Perfusion during Pancreatectomy.

An anomalous anatomy of the celiac trunk, and particularly of the right hepatic artery, may have a significant impact on major hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery. According to some authors, every third patient has an aberrant right hepatic artery. We present a very rare case of replaced right hepatic artery (RRHA) arising from the gastroduodenal artery associated with an accessory left hepatic artery originating from the left gastric artery in a 54-year-old woman with a pancreatic head carcinoma. The patient underwent total pancreatectomy on account of a soft lipomatous pancreas with heterogeneous changes of the pancreatic body and tail. We preserved the RRHA and achieved R0 resection margins. Preoperative evaluation of CT angiograms, an awareness of any anomalous arterial anatomy of the upper abdomen, and a meticulous surgical technique are the key to performing oncologically radical surgery without threatening the arterial liver supply.

A Double Metachronous Ureter Metastasis following Curative Resection of Rectal Cancer.

A malignant ureteral obstruction is most often due to primary tumors of the ureter. However, it can occur secondary due to external tumor compression or metastatic infiltration. Distant metastases to the ureter are extremely rare. We present a case of a rare double distant metachronic metastasis to the right ureter as well as to the right renal pelvis in a 58-year-old female with a history of anterior resection for rectal cancer 2 years earlier. She presented with recurrent urinary tract infection and right hydronephrosis caused by an ureteral mass. The patient underwent a right nephroureterectomy via laparotomy. Two metastases of the rectal cancer in the ureteral mucosa were verified at histology. On account of the infiltration of the right ureteral orifice, a completion transurethral resection of the tumor was performed. A follow-up 3 and 6 months later showed no signs of tumor relapse and the patient was doing well. The differential diagnosis of malignant ureteral obstruction in patients with history of colorectal cancer should include the rare possibility of distant metastasis from the primary tumor.

Modified Single-Loop Reconstruction for Pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Modified single-loop reconstruction in pancreaticoduodenectomy separates pancreatic secretion from bile. It is performed in cases of high-risk pancreatic remnants to reduce the severity of postoperative pancreatic fistulas and moreover the overall postoperative morbidity. This reconstruction technique is characterized by an extra-long jejunal loop for the construction of the pancreaticojejunostomy and hepaticojejunostomy. The longer distance between these anastomoses and an additional jejuno-jejunostomy between the afferent and efferent limb of the hepaticojejunostomy separate the fluids and prevent backflow of bile towards the pancreaticojejunostomy. Thus, the secretions cannot activate each other and aggravate an existing anastomotic leakage. We observed a reduced rate of severe postoperative pancreatic fistulas after modified single-loop reconstruction compared to conventional single loop reconstruction. The technique is easy to perform, safe, and less time-consuming than a traditional double-loop reconstruction.

A modified single-loop reconstruction after pancreaticoduodenectomy reduces severity of postoperative pancreatic fistula in high-risk patients.

BACKGROUND: Double-loop (DL) reconstruction after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), diverting pancreatic from biliary secretions, has been reported to reduce rates and severity of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) compared to single loop (SL) reconstruction at the price of prolonged operative duration. This study investigated the feasibility of a new reconstruction method combining the advantages of DL with the simplicity of SL in patients with high-risk pancreas. METHODS: A modified single-loop (mSL) reconstruction was used in patients undergoing PD with a soft pancreatic remnant and a pancreatic duct smaller than 3 mm (n = 50). The loop between the pancreatic and the biliary anastomoses was left longer and a side-to-side jejunojejunal anastomosis was performed between them at the lowest point to promote isolated flow of pancreatic and biliary secretions. Rate and severity of POPF, mortality, duration of surgery, and POPF-associated morbidity were compared to those of 50 matched patients with SL and 25 patients with DL reconstruction. RESULTS: Duration of surgery was 57 min longer for DL, but equal for mSL and SL. The POPF rate did not differ between the three groups. The severity of POPF was more pronounced in the SL group (62% grade C: p = 0.011). Mortality and major morbidity were lower and hospital stay shorter in the mSL and DL groups compared to the SL group. CONCLUSIONS: The new mSL reconstruction was safer than conventional SL and faster to perform than DL reconstruction in patients with a high-risk pancreas. It did not influence the rate of POPF, but reduced its severity, leading to less major morbidity and mortality.