Exploring the landscape of minimally invasive pancreatic surgery: Progress, challenges, and future directions

Minimally invasive surgery(MI)has become the standard of care for many surgical procedures aimed at reducing the burden on patients.However,its adoption in pancreatic surgery(PS)has been limited by the pancreas’s unique location and the complexity of the dissection and reconstruction phases.These factors continue to contribute to PS having one of the highest morbidity and mortality rates in general surgery.Despite a rough start,MIPS has gained widespread acceptance in clinical practice recently.Robust evidence supports MI distal pancreatectomy safety,even in oncological cases,indicating its potential superiority over open surgery.However,definitive evidence of MI pancre-aticoduodenectomy(MIPD)feasibility and safety,particularly for malignant lesions,is still lacking.Nonetheless,reports from high-volume centers are emer-ging,suggesting outcomes comparable to those of the open approach.The robotic PS increasing adoption,facilitated by the wider availability of robotic platforms,may further facilitate the transition to MIPD by overcoming the technical con-straints associated with laparoscopy and accelerating the learning curve.Alth-ough the MIPS implementation process cannot be stopped in this evolving world,ensuring patient safety through strict outcome monitoring is critical.Investing in younger surgeons with structured and recognized training programs can promote safe expansion.

Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas:A systematic review of clinical,surgical and oncological characteristics of 1384 patients underwent pancreatic surgery

Background:Pancreatic solid pseudopapillary tumors(SPTs)are rare clinical entity,with low malignancy and still unclear pathogenesis.They account for less than 2%of exocrine pancreatic neoplasms.This study aimed to perform a systematic review of the main clinical,surgical and oncological characteristics of pancreatic SPTs.Data sources:MEDLINE/PubMed,Web of Science and Scopus databases were systematically searched for the main clinical,surgical and oncological characteristics of pancreatic SPTs up to April 2021,in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses(PRISMA)standards.Primary endpoints were to analyze treatments and oncological outcomes.Results:A total of 823 studies were recorded,86 studies underwent full-text reviews and 28 met inclusion criteria.Overall,1384 patients underwent pancreatic surgery.Mean age was 30 years and 1181 patients(85.3%)were female.The most common clinical presentation was non-specific abdominal pain(52.6%of cases).Mean overall survival was 98.1%.Mean recurrence rate was 2.8%.Mean follow-up was 4.2 years.Conclusions:Pancreatic SPTs are rare,and predominantly affect young women with unclear pathogenesis.Radical resection is the gold standard of treatment achieving good oncological impact and a favorable prognosis in a yearly life-long follow-up.

Extrahepatic collaterals and liver damage in embolotherapy for ruptured hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm following hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery

AIM: To evaluate the effects of extrahepatic collaterals to the liver on liver damage and patient outcome after embolotherapy for the ruptured hepatic artery pseudoa- neurysm following hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery. METHODS: We reviewed 9 patients who underwent transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for the ruptured hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm following major hepato- biliary pancreatic surgery between June 1992 and April 2006. We paid special attention to the extrahepatic arte- rial collaterals to the liver which may affect post-TAE liver damage and patient outcome. RESULTS: The underlying diseases were all malignan- cies, and the surgical procedures included hepatopancre- atoduodenectomy in 2 patients, hepatic resection with removal of the bile duct in 5, and pancreaticoduodenec- tomy in 2. A total of 11 pseudoaneurysm developed: 4 in the common hepatic artery, 4 in the proper hepatic artery, and 3 in the right hepatic artery. Successful he- mostasis was accomplished with the initial TAE in all patients, except for 1. Extrahepatic arterial pathways to the liver, including the right inferior phrenic artery, the jejunal branches, and the aberrant left hepatic artery, were identified in 8 of the 9 patients after the completion of TAE. The development of collaterals depended on the extent of liver mobilization during the hepatic resection, the postoperative period, the presence or absence of an aberrant left hepatic artery, and the concomitant arte- rial stenosis adjacent to the pseudoaneurysm. The liver tolerated TAE without significant consequences when at least one of the collaterals from the inferior phrenic ar-tery or the aberrant left hepatic artery was present. One patient, however, with no extrahepatic collaterals died of liver failure due to total liver necrosis 9 d after TAE. CONCLUSION: When TAE is performed on ruptured hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm, reduced collateral path- ways to the liver created by the primary surgical proce- dure and a short postoperative interval may lead to an unfavorable outcome.

Role of artificial intelligence in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery

Over the past decade,enhanced preoperative imaging and visualization,improved delineation of the complex anatomical structures of the liver and pancreas,and intra-operative technological advances have helped deliver the liver and pancreatic surgery with increased safety and better postoperative outcomes.Artificial intelligence(AI)has a major role to play in 3D visualization,virtual simulation,augmented reality that helps in the training of surgeons and the future delivery of conventional,laparoscopic,and robotic hepatobiliary and pancreatic(HPB)surgery;artificial neural networks and machine learning has the potential to revolutionize individualized patient care during the preoperative imaging,and postoperative surveillance.In this paper,we reviewed the existing evidence and outlined the potential for applying AI in the perioperative care of patients undergoing HPB surgery.

Perioperative nutrition support in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery

Early in 1936,Stduley found that there was a E close relationship between nutritional status and postoperative outcome in surgical patients.In modern surgery combined with use of prophylactic antibiotics,better anesthesia,improved suture materials and optimal physiotherapy,the rate of postoperative complications in malnourished patients has significantly decreased.But recent studies [1,2]

Safety of pancreatic surgery with special reference to antithrombotic therapy:A systematic review of the literature

BACKGROUND Postpancreatectomy hemorrhage(PPH)is the most severe type of complication after pancreatic surgery,although the effect of antithrombotic therapy(ATT)on PPH is largely unknown.The safety and efficacy of chemical thromboprophylaxis for venous thromboembolism(VTE)remains controversial.AIM To elucidate the effect of ATT on PPH.METHODS Published articles between 2013 and 2020 were searched from PubMed and Google Scholar,and after careful reviewing of all studies,studies concerning ATT and pancreatic surgery were included.Data such as study design,type of surgical procedures,type of antithrombotic drugs,and surgical outcome were extracted from the studies.RESULTS Nineteen published articles with a total of 37863 patients who underwent pancreatic surgery were included in the systematic review.Fourteen were cohort studies,with only three being prospective in nature.Two studies demonstrated that in patients receiving chronic ATT,which were mostly managed by heparin bridging,the risk of PPH was higher compared with those without ATT,and one study showed that patients with direct-acting oral anticoagulants managed by heparin bridging had significantly higher postoperative bleeding rates than others.The remaining six studies reported that pancreatic surgery can be safely performed in patients receiving chronic ATT,even under preoperative aspirin continuation.Concerning chemical thromboprophylaxis for VTE,most studies have shown a potentially high risk of PPH in patients undergoing chemical thromboprophylaxis;however,its effectiveness against VTE has not been statistically demonstrated,particularly among Asian patients.CONCLUSION Pancreatic surgery in chronically ATT-received patients can be safely performed without an increase in the occurrence of PPH,although the safety and efficacy of chemical thromboprophylaxis for VTE during pancreatic surgery is still controversial.Further investigation using reliable studies with good design is required to establish definite protocols or guidelines.

Gender Differences in Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Perceived Relevance on Outcomes <br/>—A Single Center 22-Year Observational Study in India (1996-2018)

Introduction: Gender differences are still quite prevalent in the present time. Although there is literature regarding gender differences in healthcare expenditure in India, there is no data regarding gender differences in hospital stay, hospital seeking behaviors and mortality. Aim: To evaluate the Gender differences in a hospital seeking behavior, mortality and hospital stay. Methods: We prospectively analyzed, from a retrospective database, all patients who underwent surgical gastrointestinal, hepato-biliary, pancreatic and splenic surgeries from 1996 to 2018 in our unit. Patients were divided into groups based on gender, admission time period and priority of admission i.e., elective or emergency. Both the gender groups were compared with respect to total procedures done, hospital stay and mortality. Organ specific mortality was calculated as proportions, was analyzed and compared between the groups. Time trends of the same were observed and compared. Results: Of 12,411 patients, 7979 (64.3%) were males and 4432 (35.7%) were females. 9191 (74.1%) patients underwent elective procedures whereas 3220 (25.9%) had emergency procedures (p ≤ 0.001). Overall mortality was higher in males (n = 473, 5.92%) in comparison to females (n = 185, 4.17%) (p ≤ 0.001). Majority of surgeries in males were of small intestine (22.5%) in which small bowel resection was most commonly done (5.4%), whereas, gallbladder and biliary surgeries (27.4%) were the most common in females in which laparoscopic cholecystectomy was most commonly done (5.8%). Median hospital stay was higher in males (10 days vs 9 days), (p ≤ 0.001). Mortality was higher in females in all organ categories except in liver (6.34% vs 2.7%), pancreas (37.3% Vs 18.3%) and spleen (3.38% Vs 1.62%) where mortality was higher for male gender. Highest mortality for females was in small intestinal surgery (34%) and for males, it was pancreatic surgery (37.3%). Highest mortality in males was emergency open pancreatic necrosectomy (21.6%) and that in females was emergency small intestinal surgery (11.9%). Although the number of surgeries in females increased over time (380 in 1996-1999 Vs 951 in 2016-2018), the proportion remained constant (36.3% Vs 38.3% in 1996-1999 and 2016-2018 respectively). Conclusion: We conclude that mortality is found to be higher in males after gastrointestinal surgery, which may be explained by the fact that hospital seeking behavior is more in males though it is fairly increasing in females in the recent years.

Retrospective Analysis of 128 Patients of Acupuncture Consultation After Pancreatic Surgery

This study was conducted to analyze and summaries the current situation of acupuncture post-operative consultation of pancreatic cancer patients in the Qilu hospital of Shandong University,further provide a reference for acupuncture treatment of post-operative complications after pancreatic surgery,especially the effect of acupuncture in treating gastrointestinal dysfunction after pancreatic surgery.The consultation reasons,diagnosis,treatments,patient compliance,and the effect of acupuncture treatment of post-operative was studied and analyzed in 128 cases from October 9,2020 to October 9,2021.A total of 128 patients was selected for this study,and 116 of the patients were completely treated.This study showed that the effective rate of acupuncture;For early post-operative inflammatory bowel obstruction was 94.85%;For post-operative gastric emptying dysfunction was 81.25%;For early post-operative inflammatory bowel obstruction with gastric emptying disorder was 66.67%;and Clinical total effective rate was 91.38%.This study concluded that acupuncture may promote pancreatic gastrointestinal function rehabilitation,and provide a new method to enhance the patient’s recovery after surgery.

The Effect of Case Management Model on the Application of Pancreatic Cancer Surgery Patients and the Recovery of Gastrointestinal Function

Objective:To evaluate the effect of the case management model on patients operated for pancreatic cancer.Methods:90 pancreatic cancer surgery patients admitted to the hospital between January 2022 and June 2023 were selected and grouped by randomized numerical table.For 45 cases in the observation group,case management mode was adopted,and for 45 cases in the intervention group,conventional nursing care was chosen to compare the indexes of gastrointestinal function recovery.Results:The recovery time of all gastrointestinal functions of the observation group was shorter than that of the intervention group;after nursing,the psychological state score of the observation group was lower than that of the intervention group,the self-efficacy score was higher than that of the intervention group and the rate of complications was lower than that of the intervention group(P<0.05).Conclusion:The case management model can promote the recovery of gastrointestinal function in patients with pancreatic cancer surgery and its nursing feasibility is high.

Clinical application of 3D reconstruction in pancreatic surgery: a narrative review

Progress in medicine requires not only innovation and development in the medical field but also the integration of the technology of other fields into the medical field. As an important technological advancement, three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction transforms traditional two-dimensional images into 3D images that are more consistent with the physiological habits of human eyes. It has been applied to the bones, heart, liver, and maxillofacial area, promoting the progress of medical technology and surgeons. This article introduces the progress of 3D reconstruction technology in the clinical application of pancreatic surgery, from the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative perspectives, as well as the education of young surgeons. It also puts forward new ideas for the further development of pancreatic surgery.

Laparoscopic central pancreatectomy with gastro-pancreatic anastomosis for symptomatic serous cystadenoma:A case report and literature review

Surgery for lesions of the proximal part of the pancreatic body or neck can be challenging,and when enucleation is not possible,central pancreatectomy is an option.Laparoscopic central pancreatic resection is rarely described worldwide;it is considered a difficult procedure mainly because of the risk of double pancreatic fistula developing at two sites of resection.However,it seems to be an excellent alternative to distal pancreatectomy or pancreaticoduodenectomy,with the advantages of preserving functioning parenchyma and reducing endocrine and exocrine failure.Nevertheless,patients with pancreatic lesions requiring central resection are often managed with the open approach in many hospitals due to the complexity of total laparoscopic central pancreatectomy,which requires advanced laparoscopic skills,expertise and experience.Here,we report a case of a 29-year-old female who underwent total laparoscopic central pancreatic resection with gastro-pancreatic anastomosis for symptomatic serous cystadenoma.We discuss the details of case management and review the relevant literature.

Indocyanine green:The guide to safer and more effective surgery

In this editorial we comment on the article by Kalayarasan and co-workers published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery.The authors present an interesting review on the use of indocyanine green fluo-rescence in different aspects of abdominal surgery.They also highlight future perspectives of the use of indocyanine green in mini-invasive surgery.Indo-cyanine green,used for fluorescence imaging,has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and is safe for use in humans.It can be administered in-travenously or intra-arterially.Since its advent,there have been several advance-ments in the applications of indocyanine green,especially in the surgical field,such as intraoperative mapping and biopsy of sentinel lymph node,measurement of hepatic function prior to resection,in neurosurgical cases to detect vascular anomalies,in cardiovascular cases for patency and assessment of vascular ab-normalities,in predicting healing following amputations,in helping visualization of hepatobiliary anatomy and blood vessels,in reconstructive surgery,to assess flap viability and for the evaluation of tissue perfusion following major trauma and burns.For these reasons,the intraoperative use of indocyanine green has become common in a variety of surgical specialties and transplant surgery.Co-lorectal surgery has just lately begun to adopt this technique,particularly for perfusion visualization to prevent anastomotic leakage.The regular use of in-docyanine green coupled with fluorescence angiography has recently been pro-posed as a feasible tool to help improve patient outcomes.Using the best available data,it has been shown that routine use of indocyanine green in colorectal surgery reduces the rates of anastomotic leak.The use of indocyanine green is proven to be safe,feasible,and effective in both elective and emergency scenarios.However,additional robust evidence from larger-scale,high-quality studies is essential before incorporating indocyanine green guided surgery into standard practice.

Current situation,consensus and controversy of perioperative nutrition management in pancreatic surgery:A narrative review

Pancreatic surgery contains several major procedures of pancreatectomy.Surgical trauma,severe complications and preoperative nutritional disorders will affect postoperative recovery and clinical outcomes of patients.Perioperative whole-course nutrition management focus on rational nutritional care from admission to discharge even post-hospital follow-up,including preoperative nutritional screening,perioperative nutrition assessment and intervention.The whole-course strategy has been validated in some other fields by RCTs and is also seemed to be suitable for pancreatic surgery.However,few high-grade evidences have been published and controversy still exists.This review aims to reflect the current situation,consensus and controversy of perioperative nutrition management in pancreatic surgery,expecting to provide necessary guidance for clinical research and practice.

Feasibility of therapeutic endoscopic ultrasound in the bridge-to-surgery scenario:The example of pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Upfront resection is becoming a rarer indication for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma,as biologic behavior and natural history of the disease has boosted indications for neoadjuvant treatments.Jaundice,gastric outlet obstruction and acute cholecystitis can frequently complicate this window of opportunity,resulting in potentially deleterious chemotherapy discontinuation,whose resumption relies on effective,prompt and long-lasting management of these complications.Although therapeutic endoscopic ultrasound(t-EUS)can potentially offer some advantages over comparators,its use in potentially resectable patients is primal and has unfairly been restricted for fear of potential technical difficulties during subsequent surgery.This is a narrative review of available evidence regarding EUS-guided choledochoduodenostomy,gastrojejunostomy and gallbladder drainage in the bridge-to-surgery scenario.Proof-ofconcept evidence suggests no influence of t-EUS procedures on outcomes of eventual subsequent surgery.Moreover,the very high efficacy-invasiveness ratio over comparators in managing pancreatic cancer-related symptoms or complications can provide a powerful weapon against chemotherapy discontinuation,potentially resulting in higher subsequent resectability.Available evidence is discussed in this short paper,together with technical notes that might be useful for endoscopists and surgeons operating in this scenario.No published evidence supports restricting t-EUS in potential surgical candidates,especially in the setting of pancreatic cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy.Bridge-to-surgery tEUS deserves further prospective evaluation.

Clinical application of 3D reconstruction in pancreatic surgery:a narrative review

Progress in medicine requires not only innovation and development in the medical field but also the integration of the technology of other fields into the medical field.As an important technological advancement,three-dimensional(3D)reconstruction transforms traditional two-dimensional images into 3D images that are more consistent with the physiological habits of human eyes.It has been applied to the bones,heart,liver,and maxillofacial area,promoting the progress of medical technology and surgeons.This paper introduces the progress of 3D reconstruction technology in the clinical application of pancreatic surgery,from the preoperative,intraoperative,and postoperative perspectives,as well as the education of young surgeons.It also puts forward new ideas for the further development of pancreatic surgery.

Rikkunshito increases appetite by enhancing gastrointestinal and incretin hormone levels in patients who underwent pyloruspreserving pancreaticoduodenectomy: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND Rikkunshito(TJ-43)relieves gastrointestinal disturbance by increases in the levels of acylated ghrelin.AIM To investigate the effects of TJ-43 in patients undergoing pancreatic surgery.METHODS Forty-one patients undergoing pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy(PpPD)were divided into two groups;patients took daily doses of TJ-43 after surgery or after postoperative day(POD)21.The plasma levels of acylated and desacylated ghrelin,cholecystokinin(CCK),peptide YY(PYY),gastric inhibitory peptide(GIP),and active glucagon-like peptide(GLP)-1 were evaluated.Oral calorie intake was assessed at POD 21 in both groups.The primary endpoint of this study was the total food intake after PpPD.RESULTS The levels of acylated ghrelin were significantly greater in patients treated with TJ-43 than those in patients without TJ-43 administration at POD 21,and oral intake was significantly increased in patients treated with TJ-43.The CCK and PYY levels were significantly greater in patients treated with TJ-43 than those in patients without TJ-43 treatment.Furthermore,the GIP and active GLP-1 levels increased and values at POD 21 were significantly greater in patients treated with TJ-43 than those in patients without TJ-43 administration.Insulin secretion tended to increase in patients treated with TJ-43.CONCLUSION TJ-43 may have advantages for oral food intake in patients in the early phase after pancreatic surgery.Further investigation is needed to clarify the effects of TJ-43 on incretin hormones.

Damage control surgery for severe pancreatic trauma

Pancreatic trauma as a challenge before and during explorative laparotomy is associated with multiple visceral injuries or critical conditions. Its optimal management remains controversial.The current concept of damage control surgery (DCS) has been increasingly accepted. DCS

Delayed gastric emptying is associated with pylorus-preserving but not classical Whipple pancreaticoduodenectomy:A review of the literature and critical reappraisal of the implicated pathomechanism

Pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy （PPPD） is nowadays considered the treatment of choice for periampullary tumors, namely carcinoma of the head, neck, or uncinate process of the pancreas, the ampulla of Vater, distal common bile duct or carcinoma of the peri-Vaterian duodenum. Delayed gastric emptying （DGE） comprises one of the most troublesome complications of this procedure. A search of the literature using Pubmed/IVledline was performed to identify clinical trials examining the incidence rate of DGE following standard Whipple pancreaticoduodenectomy （PD） vs PPPD. Additionally we performed a thorough in-depth analysis of the implicated pathomechanism underlying the occurrence of DGE after PPPD. In contrast to early studies, the majority of recently performed clinical trials demonstrated no significant association between the occurrence of DGE with either PD or PPPD. PD and PPPD procedures are equally effective operations regarding the postoperative occurrence of DGE. Further randomized trials are required to investigate the efficacy of a recently reported （but not yet tested in largescale studies） modification, that is, PPPD with antecolic duodenojejunostomy.

Early detection and prevention of pancreatic cancer:Is it really possible today?

Pancreatic cancer is the 4th leading cause of cancer-related death in Western countries. Considering the low incidence of pancreatic cancer, population-based screening is not feasible. However, the existence of a group of individuals with an increased risk to develop pancreatic cancer has been well established. In particular, individuals suffering from a somatic or genetic condition associated with an increased relative risk of more than 5- to 10-fold seem to be suitable for enrollment in a surveillance program for prevention or early detection of pancreatic cancer. The aim of such a program is to reduce pancreatic cancer mortality through early or preemptive surgery. Considering the risk associated with pancreatic surgery, the concept of preemptive surgery cannot consist of a prophylactic removal of the pancreas in high-risk healthy individuals, but must instead aim at treating precancerous lesions such as intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms or pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasms, or early cancer. Currently, results from clinical trials do not convincingly demonstrate the efficacy of this approach in terms of identification of precancerous lesions, nor do they define the outcome of the surgical treatment of these lesions. For this reason, surveillance programs for individuals at risk of pancreatic cancer are thus far generally limited to the setting of a clinical trial. However, the acquisition of a deeper understanding of this complex area, together with the increasing request for screening and treatment by individuals at risk, will usher pancreatologists into a new era of preemptive pancreatic surgery. Along with the growing demand to treat individuals with precancerous lesions, the need for low-risk investigation, low-morbidity operation and a minimally invasive approach becomes increasingly pressing. All of these considerations are reasons for preemptive pancreatic surgery programs to be undertaken in specialized centers only.

Potential risk factors for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis related to pancreatic secretions following pancreaticoduodenectomy

AIM: To identify risk factors for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis following pancreaticoduodenectomy, with a focus on factors related to pancreatic secretions. METHODS: The medical records of 228 patients who had a pancreaticoduodenectomy over a 16-mo period were reviewed retrospectively. The 193 patients who did not have fatty liver disease preoperatively were included in the final analysis. Hepatic steatosis was diagnosed using the differences between splenic and hepatic attenuation and liver-to-spleen attenuation as measured by non-enhanced computed tomography. RESULTS: Fifteen patients (7.8%) who showed postoperative hepatic fatty changes were assigned to Group A, and the remaining patients were assigned to Group B. Patient demographics, preoperative laboratory findings (including levels of C-peptide, glucagon, insulin and glucose tolerance test results), operation types, and final pathological findings did not differ significantly between the two groups; however, the frequency of pancreatic fistula (P = 0.020) and the method of pancreatic duct stenting (P = 0.005) showed significant differences between the groups. A multivari- ate analysis identified pancreatic fistula (HR = 3.332, P = 0.037) and external pancreatic duct stenting (HR = 4.530, P = 0.017) as independent risk factors for the development of postoperative steatohepatitis. CONCLUSION: Pancreatic fistula and external pancreatic duct stenting were identified as independent risk factors for the development of steatohepatitis following pancreaticoduodenectomy.