Mucin-producing tumors of the pancreas: clinicopathological features, surgical treatment, and outcome

Mucin-producing tumors (MPTs) of the pancreas are increasingly being recognized. To evaluate the appropriate surgical treatment and predict the prognosis of MPTs, we performed a retrospective clinicopathological study in 51 patients, 27 with benign tumors and 24 with borderline/malignant tumors. Three of the malignant tumors showed stromal invasion and lymph node metastasis on histological examination. Of the 24 patients with borderline/malignant tumors, 2 died of MPTs and 4 died of other diseases. At the last follow-up, 35 patients were alive and well. The 5-year postoperative survival rate was 90% for patients with benign tumors, and 78% of these with borderline/malignant tumors. Five of the patients with borderline/malignant tumors had multicentric tumors. Three of these patients underwent resection of the rest of the pancreas, 5, 6, and 8 years, respectively, after the first operation. Extended radical resection is required for malignant MPT with invasion of the pancreatic stroma. We prefer to perform pancreatogastrostomy or Imanaga's procedure to allow examination of the body and tail of the pancreas by endoscopic retrograde pancreatography after resection of the pancreatic head. Careful follow-up for a long period may be the most prudent approach for detecting multiple MPTs in the residual pancreas after surgical treatment.     

A comparison of pancreaticoduodenectomy and duodenum-preserving head resection for the treatment of chronic pancreatitis

Background:

For chronic pancreatitis, European prospective trials have concluded that duodenum-preserving head resections (DPHR) are associated with less morbidity and similar pain relief and quality of life (QoL) outcomes compared with pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). However, DPHR procedures are seldom performed in North America.

Methods:

Patients undergoing PD or DPHR for unremitting pain secondary to chronic pancreatitis were retrospectively identified. Quality of life was assessed cross-sectionally using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30) and pancreatic cancer-specific supplemental module (QLQ-PAN26).

Results:

Eighty-one patients underwent either a Whipple PD (n= 59) or a DPHR (Bern, Beger or Frey procedure, n= 22) for the treatment of pain caused by chronic pancreatitis over a 5-year period. The characteristics of patients undergoing DPHR and PD procedures were similar. Duration of procedure (360 min vs. 245 min), duration of hospital stay (12.0 days vs. 9.5 days) and estimated blood loss (535 ml vs. 214 ml) were all significantly less for DPHR patients (P < 0.05). Thirty-day morbidity and mortality, postoperative pain relief and QoL scores did not differ significantly between groups.

Conclusions:

Duodenum-preserving head resection is equally as effective as PD in relieving pain and improving QoL in chronic pancreatitis patients, and involves a shorter hospital stay and less blood loss.     

Pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy with combined resection of the portal vein and gastrointestinal reconstruction by imanaga procedure for ductal cancer of the head of the pancreas

Twenty-six patients who underwent pyloruspreserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD) for ductal cancer of the head of the pancreas between 1983 and 1993 were reviewed. Gastrointestinal continuity was restored by the methods of Imanaga (n=21) and Traverso (n=5). Combined resection of the portal vein and/or superior mesenteric vein was performed in 13 patients. Surgical complications occurred in 5 patients, but there were no postoperative deaths. Delayed gastric emptying was observed in 42% of patients. The median survival time for all 26 patients was 13 months. Three patients survived for more than 3 years, and one of them is currently alive without recurrence at 10 years. Differences in survival rates were not apparent between patients who underwent PPPD with and without portal vein resection. Survival rate after PPPD was compared with that after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) performed between 1974 and 1992; the difference was not significant. Patients who underwent noncurative PPPD had a significantly better survival rate than those who underwent noncurative PD (P<0.05). PPPD has improved the quality of life of the resected patients, without reducing survival rate. At present, PPPD by the Imanaga procedure could be the best choice for management of cancer of the pancreatic head.     

Complete duodenum-preserving resection of the head of the pancreas with preservation of the biliary tract

A complete resection of the head of the pancreas, with preservation of the duodenum and biliary tract was performed for 14 patients: 8 with chronic pancreatitis, 3 with mucin-producing cancer of the head of the pancreas, 2 with pancreas divisum, and 1 with cystadenoma of the head of the pancreas. With our technique, duodenal blood flow is maintained, and no pancreatic parenchyma is left on the duodenal side. For these patients, a pancreaticoduodenostomy without resection of the digestive tract was provided; however, for those in whom an anastomosis between the caudal side of the pancreas and the duodenum was too difficult, due to distance, a pancreaticojejunostomy, using a Roux-en-Y jejunal loop, was performed as an alternative method. The digestive tract was reconstructed by a pancreaticoduodenostomy in 8 patients and by a pancreaticojejunostomy in the remaining 6. The operation time for the former procedure was 5h, and for the latter, 5h and 40 min; the mean blood loss in both groups was similar, being 926 and 940 ml, respectively. The successful results in all cases indicate that maintenance of the duodenal blood flow is significantly related to complete resection of the head of the pancreas. Thus, it appears that the use of Kocher's maneuver should be avoided and that the preservation of the posterior superior pancreaticoduodenal artery is important.     

Surgical design and outcome of duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection for benign or low-grade malignant tumors

To apply duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection (DPPHR) as radical procedure for benign or low-grade malignant tumors, it needs the reconciliation of complete pancreatic head resection and preservation of the bile duct and peripancreatic vessels. Several modifications have been introduced and applied to remove these lesions, however, the techniques have not been made clear in the management of the peripancreatic vessels and the bile duct. The long-term outcomes of the DPPHR have been reported as extremely rare in comparison with pylorus preserving pancreatoduodenectomy (PPPD) in these pancreatic head tumors. The angiograms by multi-detector row CT (MD-CT) can be reconstructed more physiologically than selective angiography. The anterior arcade is predominant in 43% of 64 patients. Therefore, we modified the DPPHR to include a complete resection of the pancreatic head and the preservation of both anterior and posterior arterial arcades. The bile duct is covered by the pancreatic parenchyma in various ways. The techniques of the preservation of the bile duct are also introduced. We performed 21 DPPHRs and 19 PPPDs in the patients with benign or low-grade malignant pancreatic head tumor. There was no significant difference in operative factors. The postoperative death was one patient in PPPD, but none in DPPHR. The postoperative complications of PPPD were more often than that of DPPHR. There is no postoperative recurrence in DPPHR in the follow-up period from 2 to 216 months. Both exocrine and endocrine function and the long-term results following DPPHR were superior to those following PPPD. The DPPHR should be favored over the PPPD in benign or low-grade malignant tumors of the head of the pancreas if there is no compromise with oncologic radicality.     

Use of bromthymol blue,a pH indicator,for detecting the pancreatic duct orifice after resection of the head of the pancreats

Postoperative pancreatography after resection of the head of the pancreas often provides important morphologic information. However, the orifice of the residual pancreatic duct is often difficult to detect endoscopically. We evaluated the use of bromthymol blue (BTB), a pH indicator that changes color from orange to a purplish-blue when exposed to alkaline conditions, to assist in the detection of the postoperative orifice. Pancreatography was performed in 46 patients who underwent resection of the head of the pancreas, and the utility of BTB in identifying the orifice of the pancreatic duct during endoscopy was studied. Twenty-one patients underwent endoscopy with the use of BTB. The series consisted of 8 patients who had received a pyloruspreserving pancreaticoduodenectomy with a pancreaticogastrostomy (PPPD-PG), 6 patients who had had pyloruspreserving pancreaticoduodenectomy with a pancreaticojejunostomy (PPPD-PJ), and 7 patients who had undergone a duodenum-preserving resection of the head of the pancreas with a pancreaticoduodenostomy (DPPHR-PD). The remaining 25 patients underwent conventional pancreatography without the use of BTB. This group consisted of 12 patients given a PPPD-PG, 6 patients who had received a PPPD-PJ, and 7 patients who had undergone a DPPHR-PD. The success of the postoperative endoscopic pancreatography was compared in the two groups. In all 21 patients, postoperative pancreatography with BTB resulted in a success rate of 100%, compared to success in only 10 patients who had conventional endoscopy (success rate 40%). This study demonstrated that the use of BTB significantly enhanced the success rate of endoscopic retrograde pancreatography after resection of the head of the pancreas.     

Duodenum-preserving total pancreatic head resection for cystic neoplastic lesions in the head of the pancreas

Background/Purpose

Cystic neoplastic lesions of the pancreas are now found with increasing frequency. Duodenumpreserving pancreatic head resection with segmental resection of the duodenum has been introduced for the surgical treatment of inflammatory and neoplastic lesions. We report the following data from 15 patients treated surgically for cystic neoplastic lesions of the pancreas head.

Methods

Duodenum-preserving total pancreatic head resection (DPPHRt) with segmental resection of the duodenum (SD) was performed in eight patients, five with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN), two with mucinous cystic neoplasm (MCN), and one with cystic endocrine neoplasm (EN). In four patients, a subtotal pancreatic head resection was performed, but recurrence of the IPMN lesion was observed in two patients. Ten patients suffered cystadenoma, three patients had a borderline lesion, and two patients had an in-situ carcinoma.

Results

Eight patients had a DPPHRt with SD resection, two patients had a resection of the uncinate process including segmental resection of the inferior duodenal segment, and one patient had a duodenum-and spleen-preserving total pancreatectomy. In four patients a DPPHR with subtotal pancreatic head resection was carried out. Postoperative local complications occurred in eight patients: there was a recurrence of the IPMN lesion in the remnant pancreatic head in two patients; and there was intraabdominal bleeding in one patient, pancreatic fistula in one patient, and delay of gastric emptying in four patients. Seven patients showed signs of acute pancreatitis. Hospital mortality was 0%, and postoperative length of hospital stay was 10. 4 days (range, 8–18 days).

Conclusions

Duodenum-preserving total pancreatic head resection for IPMN, MCN, serous cystadenoma (SCA), and cystic EN lesions is a safe and beneficial surgical procedure. Segmental resection of the duodenum was applied for an oncologically complete resection. In regard to long-term outcome, the procedure is, additionally, a pancreatic cancer preventive strategy.

     

Appraisal of the Imaizumi modification of the Beger procedure: the TWMU experience

Background/purpose

We developed the Imaizumi modification of the Beger procedure, a duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection. The Imaizumi modification allows for removal of more of the subtotal pancreatic head than in the conventional Beger procedure, including the intrapancreatic bile duct, for chronic pancreatitis with common bile duct stenosis. A retrospective study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of the Imaizumi modification compared to a pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD), based on the early and late postoperative results.

Methods

A group of 14 patients who underwent the Beger procedure with the Imaizumi modification to treat chronic pancreatitis from November 1997 to December 2005 was investigated retrospectively. This group was compared to a group of 21 patients who underwent PPPD from November 1997 to December 2003. The median follow-up period was 3.6 years (range 3.1–5.7 years) for the Imaizumi modification group and 4.0 years (range 3.0–8.3 years) for the PPPD group.

Results

A pancreatic fistula formed in 7% of the Imaizumi modification patients (PPPD 5%), pain relief was achieved in 92% (PPPD 94%), complete professional rehabilitation was achieved in 71% (PPPD 67%), insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus was present in 43 versus 36% before the procedure (PPPD 62 versus 38% before the procedure), and body weight improved in 79% (PPPD 48%). No significant differences were found between the two groups for the early postoperative complications and the late postoperative outcome 3 years after the procedure. However, the Imaizumi modification group exhibited an encouraging tendency to have a lower rate of new-onset exocrine and endocrine insufficiency than the PPPD group.

Conclusions

Our Imaizumi modification of the Beger procedure, including intrapancreatic bile duct resection, represents a useful alternative for the treatment of chronic pancreatitis with an inflammatory mass and bile duct stenosis in the pancreatic head.     

Duodenum-Preserving resection of the head of the pancreas with denervation of the body and tail of the pancreas in patients with severe chronic pancreatitis

Duodenum-preserving resection of the head of the pancreas with denervation of the body and tail of the pancreas was performed in 41 patients with severe chronic pancreatitis. The major advantage of this procedure is that only the small head of the pancreas is resected, leaving the endocrine and exocrine systems functioning normally, along with the pancreas, duodenum, and bile duct. This procedure provides complete pain relief. Ninety-two percent of the patients experienced complete alleviation of pain and no recurrent pain due to postoperative pancreatitis; 76% of the patients were able to work well postoperatively, and 87% maintained their preoperative body weight. Postoperative glucose tolerance with a normal or glucose tolerance impairment pattern remained unchanged in 67% of the patients, with deterioration occurring in 33% of the patients between 3 months and 3 years postoperatively. However, 21% of the patients with a diabetic pattern preoperatively changed to a glucose tolerance impairment pattern between 3 months and 3 years postoperatively. Our procedure, which includes the dissection of the nerve plexus on the remnant pancreas and a near total resection of the head of the pancreas, allows the patient to maintain a good nutritional state as well as allowing for good endocrine function of the pancreas.     

Clinicopathologic evaluation of mucin-producing tumor of the pancreas

We studied the diagnostic problems, surgical management, and histopathologic characteristics of 28 patients with intra-ductal tumors and mucinous cystadenomas of the pancreas who underwent surgical resection. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) and endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP) were the most useful means for confident diagnosis of the diseases. New diagnostic modalities, including intra-pancreatic ductal endoscopy and intraductal ultrasonography, also improved the qualitative diagnosis of these tumors. Minimally invasive surgery i.e., duodenum-and choledochus-preserving resection of the head of the pancreas, was conducted in our patients. The long-term results were good and no patients had disease recurrence. Although these diseases are regarded as precancerous lesions of the pancreas, there were several unclear points regarding biologic behavior and the correlation with invasive cystadenocarcinoma. Thus, a molecular biological explanation concerning the roles of oncogenes such asp53 and Ki-ras in carcinogenesis is an important question that remains to be resolved.     

Inferior head resection of the pancreas for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms

Background

Previous reports have suggested that patients with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) have a favorable prognosis after surgical resection. Thus, a variety of types of partial pancreatic resections have been advocated for treating these low-grade malignant tumors. However, the surgical outcome of IPMN after such limited pancreatectomy has not been fully clarified.

Methods

We performed a retrospective review of the clinicopathologic features and surgical outcome in 15 patients who underwent inferior head resection for IPMN at the Chiba University Hospital and National Cancer Center Hospital East between July 1994 and January 2007.

Results

There were 13 patients with noninvasive IPMNs (10 adenomas and 3 noninvasive carcinomas) and 2 patients with minimally invasive intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma (minimally invasive IPMN). Complete tumor removal (R0 resection) was performed in four patients (80%) with intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma. Subsequent pancreatoduodenectomy was performed in one patient because of noninvasive carcinoma with multiple mucous lakes in the pancreatic parenchyma. Values for N-benzoyl-l-tyrosyl-p-aminobenzoic acid excretion test results before (n?=?13) and after (n?=?13) the operation were 70.7 and 66.1, showing no significant difference. The 2-h glucose levels in the 75?g oral glucose tolerance test before (n?=?13) and after (n?=?13) the operation were 133 and 146?mg/dl, respectively, showing no significant difference. Pancreatic fistula occurred in 7 (47%) patients. Overall morbidity and mortality rates were 67 and 0%, respectively. The overall 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates for the 15 patients were 100, 79, 79, and 71%, respectively. The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates for patients with noninvasive IPMN (n?=?13) and those with minimally invasive IPMN (n?=?2) were 100, 92, 92, and 83%; and 100, 0, 0, and 0%, respectively. There was a significant difference in survival between patients with noninvasive IPMN and those with minimally invasive IPMN (p?=?0.0005). No patient with noninvasive IPMN developed recurrent disease. One patient with minimally invasive IPMN died of recurrent peritoneal dissemination 18?months after margin-positive R1 resection. Two patients died of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, 30 and 78?months after inferior head resection.

Conclusions

Pancreatic endocrine and exocrine function was well preserved after inferior head resection. Pancreatic fistula occurred more frequently after inferior head resection than with conventional pancreatoduodenectomy. Patients with noninvasive IPMN had favorable survivals after this procedure. However, one patient with minimally invasive IPMN with margin-positive R1 resection died of recurrent disease. Thus, margin-negative R0 resection should be performed for IPMN.     

Long-term survivors after resection of carcinoma of the head of the pancreas: significance of histologically curative resection

Background/Purpose

The prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer is said to have not been improved markedly by any procedures in the past 20 years. Since 1973, we have gradually extended the area of dissection when performing curative resection for pancreatic cancer to improve the resection rate and prognosis. Nineteen patients have survived for 3 years or more, and the 5-year survival rates of patients with cancer of the head of the pancreas were 23.9% for macroscopically curative resection and 34.3% for histologically curative resection.

Methods

We histologically observed surgical specimens, cut into 3- to 5-mm sections and compared the histologic characteristics of the 19 patients who survived for 3 years or more with those of 41 patients who died of cancer within 3 years (excluding 6 operative and hospital deaths), in order to find the conditions required for long-term survival.

Results

The following conditions were associated with long-term survival: (1) tumor diameter 3?cm or less; (2) either absence of lymph node metastasis or metastasis limited to the n₁ group; (3) degree of invasion of the anterior pancreatic capsule of zero (s0); and (4) either no retropancreatic invasion (rp0) or exposed retropancreatic invasion (rpe) with no cancer invasion of dissected peripancreatic tissue ew(?).

Conclusions

At present, because the rpe rate is more than 70%, resection of the pancreas, including the superior mesenteric vein and the retropancreatic fusion fascia, is essential for a curative resection, because the retropancreatic tissue between the back of the pancreas and this fascia is anatomically considered to be in the position of the subserosal tissue in the gallbladder or stomach. Combined resection of the superior mesenteric artery may further improve the results of resection for pancreatic cancer, from the anatomical viewpoint.

     

Xanthogranulomatous pancreatitis treated by duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection

BACKGROUND:Xanthogranulomatosis is an idiopathic,rare process in which lipid-laden histiocytes are deposited at various locations in the body.We present two cases who were treated by duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection and eventually diagnosed as having xanthogranulomatous pancreatitis. METHODS:A 30-year-old caucasian man was admitted to our clinic for vague abdominal pain and epigastric dullness. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic retrograde pancreatography suggested the e...     

Pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy is applicable to patients with carcinoma of the head of the pancreas: Studies of lymph node metastasis and quality of life

Metastases to the regional lymph nodes of the stomach were studied in patients in whom carcinoma of the head of the pancreas had been resected (51 standard pancreatoduodenectomy and 26 total pancreatectomy). Involvement of gastric lymph nodes was rare (1.3%–3.9%), except of the subpyloric lymph nodes (9.1%). Carcinoma in the five patients with positive gastric lymph nodes, with the exception of the subpyloric nodes, was clinically far advanced: four of the five had liver metastasis or peritoneal dissemination. This suggests that, in terms of preservation of the regional gastric lymph nodes, only subpyloric node involvement has any significance with respect to surgical treatment of carcinoma of the head of the pancreas. There was no significant difference in survival rates after curative resection between standard pancreatoduodenectomy (n=44) and pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy (n=17). In the patients who underwent the pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy for various kinds of periampullary diseases (n=47), postoperative recovery of gastric and small bowel function was temporarily prolonged compared to that after shandard pancreatoduodenectomy (n=44). However, the former group were able to take significantly more calories 6 weeks after the operation. Our study indicates that the pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy with subpyloric lymph node dissection is applicable to the treatment of patients with carcinoma of the head of the pancreas from the viewpoints of both extent of operation and quality of life.     

Surgical treatment of chronic pancreatitis with pancreatic main duct dilatation: long term results after head resection and duct drainage

Tissue and duct hypertension is considered as a major factor in the etiology of pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP). Duct dilatation is a consequence of duct obstruction due to scars or duct stones. Nevertheless, the procedure of choice, drainage or resection, is still under discussion. We present long-term results of patients operated with duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection (DPPHR) combined with a Partington-Rochelle duct drainage in cases of chronic pancreatitis with multiple stenosis and dilatation of the side ducts.Methods and patients. From April 1982 to September 2001, in 55 out of 538 patients with chronic pancreatitis, a DPPHR with additionally Partington-Rochelle duct drainage was performed (44 male, 11 female, mean age 45.8 years). Ninety-two percent of the patients suffered from alcoholic pancreatitis. Medical respective pain treatment for chronic pancreatitis was in median 64.5 months prior to surgery. The indications for surgery were in 87% pain, 59% of the patients had an inflammatory mass in the head of the pancreas, 36% a common bile duct stenosis and 5% a severe stenosis of the duodenum. The endocrine function (OGGT) was impaired in 79% of the patients preoperatively.Results. Hospital mortality was 0%, postoperative complications occurred in 11 patients. Follow-up: All except 2 patients were followed up in the outpatient clinic with the mean follow-up time of 69.7 months (8–105 months), the late mortality was 9%. Sixty-eight percent of the patients were completely free of pain, 29% had occasional pain, 3% suffered from a further attack of pancreatitis. Body weight increased in 79%, 58% were professionally rehabilitated. Late postoperative endocrine function was unchanged in 85% (improved in 5%, deteriorated in 10%).Conclusion. The pain control in patients with multiple duct stenosis after duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection with duct drainage leads to long-standing absence of pain and low recurrence rate of attacks of pancreatitis.     

Preservation of the pylorus and resection of the head of the pancreas

The historical evolution of the pylorus-preservation resection of the head of the pancreas is traced from the first resections early in this century to relative standardization of the operation, to a lowering of the operative mortality, and to an interest in improving nutritional status after resection. There are many theoretical advantages for the function of the upper gastrointestinal tract after pylorus and gastric preservation, such as maintenance of gastric capacitance and equilibration of osmotic pressure in gastric digestants, foodstuff digestion and absorption, and bowel motility. After the pylorus-preserving resection, gastric emptying is normal, pyloric function to prevent duodenal reflux is often normal, and gastric acids and serum levels of duodenal hormones are at normal levels, whereas after standard pancreatoduodenectomy, all of these are often abnormal. No prospective blinded studies have been published comparing nutritional values after the two operative procedures, but evidence is presented of a satisfactory result with regard to gastric capacitance, body weight gain, and lack of postgastrectomy symptoms. An undoubted advantage of the pylorus-preserving feature is a simplification of the operation. These gains are achieved without increase in operative mortality, without increase in the incidence of jejunal ulcer, and without theoretical or actual decrease in value of the procedure as a cancer operation, except in patients with duodenal carcinoma proximal to the ampulla of Vater.     

Resection of the head of the pancreas in three patients with anomalous arrangement or occlusive diseases of the major abdominal visceral arteries

We resected the head of the pancreas in three patients with occlusive diseases or anomalous arrangement of the abdominal visceral arteries. The first patient who was diagnosed with cancer of the head of the pancreas; pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) was performed. Preoperative celiac angiography showed no significant occlusion of the celiac axis, while superior mesenteric arteriography visualized the common hepatic artery, with delayed retrograde filling. At the completion of the PD, an unsuspected atherosclerotic celiac occlusion was identified. Celiac reconstruction was performed. The second patient was diagnosed with cystadenoma of the head of the pancreas and had congenital ostial occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA), with dilated pancreaticoduodenal (PD) arcades as a celiacomesenteric collateral pathway. Duodenum-preserving resection of the head of the pancreas was performed, with preservation of the PD arcades. The third patient was diagnosed with cancer of the common bile duct, and exhibited a replaced common hepatic artery that arose from the SMA and formed PD arcades. PD was performed, with revascularization of the common hepatic artery. Following surgery, the three patients have done well for 18, 27, and 9 months, respectively. Careful preoperative investigation to identify abnormalities of the visceral arteries is necessary before resection of the head of the pancreas is performed.     

Surgical anatomy of the pancreas for limited resection

The fusion fascia of the head of the pancreas is called the "fusion fascia of Treitz" and that of the body and tail of the pancreas is termed the "fusion fascia of Toldt". The fusion fascia is histologically composed of a loose connective tissue membrane. All of the important pancreaticoduodenal arcades of arteries and veins are situated on this membrane, i.e., between this membrane and the pancreatic parenchyma. The topography of the head of the pancreas shows that, after departing from the gastroducodenal artery, the anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal artery runs toward a point 1.5 cm below the papilla of Vater, then turns to the posterior aspect of the pancreas to join the anterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery. For preserving the duodenum, the artery toward the papilla is very important. The artery toward the papilla of Vater runs along the right side of the common bile duct after departing from the posterior superior pancreaticoduodenal artery. The gastrocolic trunk of Henle has been reported to be found in about 60% of individuals. It is possible that the gastroepiploic vein and anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal vein (ASPDV) can be divided at pancreaticoduodenectomy, with preservation of the superior right colic vein, if this area is free of carcinoma. The ASPDV and anterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal vein form an arcade on the anterior surface of the pancreas. However, arcade formation was not found between the posterior superior pancreaticoduodenal vein and posterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal vein in many of the individuals examined. The vein joined by the inferior mesenteric vein was also investigated.     

Groove pancreatitis with recurrent duodenal obstruction

Summary Groove pancreatitis is a rare subtype of chronic pancreatitis that is difficult to distinguish from pancreatic carcinoma. Most reported patients have undergone a Whipple procedure because pancreatic cancer was not ruled out. We report a case of groove pancreatitis in a patient who presented with recurrent duodenal obstruction without biliary stricture. The diagnosis of groove pancreatitis was based on characteristic episodes of repeated duodenal obstruction and the absence of radiographic evidence of cancer. Subsequently, our patient underwent a successful pylorus-reserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD). PPPD is a favorable alternative to the Whipple operation for duodenal obstruction resulting from this disease.     

Solid-pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreatic head causing marked distal atrophy: a tumor originated posterior to the main pancreatic duct

Summary We report the case of a solid-pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of the head of the pancreas causing occlusion of the main pancreatic duct (MPD) and marked pancreatic atrophy distal to the tumor disproportionate to the tumor size. A 15-yr-old girl was diagnosed with 5-cm solid-pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreatic head with marked distal pancreatic atrophy. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography demonstrated obstruction of the MPD in the pancreatic head. We performed a duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection to avoid postoperative exocrine and endocrine insufficiency. The surgical specimen showed the typical gross appearance of a SPT, with only a thin rim of pancreas anterior to the tumor. We believe that this presentation results when a tumor originates posterior to the MPD. Thus, whether or not pancreatic atrophy occurs depends strongly on the anterior/posterior relationship between the enlarging tumor and the MPD. The risk of SPT causing severe pancreatic atrophy should be kept in mind to avoid irreversible pancreatic insufficiency in young females.