Middle segmental pancreatectomy: A safe and organ-preserving option for benign and low-grade malignant lesions

AIM: To study the feasibility and safety of middle segmental pancreatectomy (MSP) compared with pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and extended distal pancreatectomy (EDP). METHODS: We studied retrospectively 36 cases that underwent MSP, 44 patients who underwent PD, and 26 who underwent EDP with benign or low-grade malignant lesions in the mid-portion of the pancreas, between April 2003 and December 2009 in Ruijin Hospital. The perioperative outcomes and long-term outcomes of MSP were compared with those of EDP and PD. Periop-erative outcomes included operative time, intraoperative hemorrhage, transfusion, pancreatic fistula, intraabdominal abscess/infection, postoperative bleeding, reoperation, mortality, and postoperative hospital time. Long-term outcomes, including tumor recurrence, newonset diabetes mellitus (DM), and pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, were evaluated. RESULTS: Intraoperative hemorrhage was 316.1 ± 309.6, 852.2 ± 877.8 and 526.9 ± 414.5 mL for the MSP, PD and EDP groups, respectively (P < 0.05). The mean postoperative daily fasting blood glucose level was significantly lower in the MSP group than in the EDP group (6.3 ± 1.5 mmol/L vs 7.3 ± 1.5 mmol/L, P < 0.05). The rate of pancreatic fistula was higher in the MSP group than in the PD group (42% vs 20.5%, P = 0.039), all of the fistulas after MSP corresponded to grade A (9/15) or B (6/15) and were sealed following conservative treatment. There was no significant difference in the mean postoperative hospital stay between the MSP group and the other two groups. After a mean follow-up of 44 mo, no tumor recurrences were found, only one patient (2.8%) in the MSP group vs five (21.7%) in the EDP group developed new-onset insulin-dependent DM postoperatively (P = 0.029). Moreover, significantly fewer patients in the MSP group than in the PD (0% vs 33.3%, P < 0.001) and EDP (0% vs 21.7%, P = 0.007) required enzyme substitution. CONCLUSION: MSP is a safe and organ-preserving option for benign or low-grade malignant lesions in the neck and proximal body of the pancreas.

Outcomes of robotic surgery for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Authors introduction： Qian Zhan, female, who was born in Sept, 1979. She studied in the Shanghai Second Medical University during 1998 to 2005. She majored in Clinical Medicine, and earned her master degree in 2005. In 2005, she went to the Beaujon Hospital of Paris 7th Universit3. in France, as a foreign intern. Later, she came to postgraduate work and residencies in the general surgery department of Shanghai Ruijin Hospital. Her clinical work is focused on multidisciplinary especially postoperative management for the patients with pancreatic cancer. In addition, she is a lead researcher in the pancreatic cancer group for nano based drug delivery, systems. Chenghong Peng, male, who was born in Apr, 1957. He worked in the 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine during 1989 to 2002. In 2002, Chenghong Peng came m Shanghai Ruiiin Hospital and began to take charge of general surgery department. As a pioneer in the hepatobifiopancreatic field, Chenghong Peng devoted himself in the basic and clinical research of pancreatic tmnors. He brings forth new ideas by creating ＂Pancreatic multiple treatment collaborating groups＂, which integrate the advantages of gasn＇oenterology, department, endoscopy department, radiology department, pathology deparnnent and SICU. He constantly strives for excellence in pancreatic surgery. In the previous five years, he performed more than 300 cases of pancreatectomy each year, and has accomplished more than 2,000 cases of pancreatectomy altogether, among which the resectable rate is 74%. Besides, he is also committed to laparoscopic surgery and robotic surgeD,. He has achieved more than 200 laparoscopic hepatectomies, 150 laparoscopic pancreatectomies and 500 robotic hepatobiliopancreatic surgeries （350 robotic pancreatic surgeries included）, which keeps leading position in China. In 2011, Chenghong Peng has won the first prize in 3rd international congress of CRSA, which marked that our achievement in robotic surgery was recognized by oversea peers.Background： To explore the effectiveness, safety, and efficacy of the robot-assisted surgery in the radical resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma （PDAC）. Methods： The clinical data of 72 patients with PDAC who underwent radical resection using the da Vinci Surgical System from April 2010 to December 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. Results： Among these 72 patients, three were converted to conventional laparotomy due to the vascular invasion or due to the difficulties in tissue isolation from the surrounding organs. Among 39 patients who underwent the pancreatoduodenectomy, the average operative time was 395.3±118.8 min, and the mean intra-operative blood loss was 447.3±269.9 mL. Among 31 patients who underwent the distal pancreatectomy （DP）, the average operative time was 185.5±74.1 min, and the mean intra-operative blood loss was 267.1±305.3 mL. In two patients who received the middle pancreatectomy （NIP）, the average operative time was 225 rain and mean intra-operative blood loss was 100 mL. Among all the 72 patients, an average of 4.2±2.6 lymph nodes were dissected, with an average hospital stay of 22.6±10.7 days. Complications were observed in 18 patients, which included pancreatic fistula （n=11）, bile leak （n=5）, anastomotic bleeding （n：2）, pancreatic fistula complicated with portal vein thrombosis （n=1）, and anastomotic bleeding complicated with acute renal failure （n=l）. Except that one patient died due to post-operative bleeding and acute renal failure, all the other patients were cured after conservative treatment. These 72 patients were followed for 1-45 （15.6±5.8） months, during which 10 patients died. Eleven patients suffered from recurrence or metastasis, among which 6 had local recurrence, 4 had liver metastasis, and 1 had ascites accompnaied with incision site tumor metastasis. Conclusions- Radical resection of PDAC by robotic surgical system is safe and feasible. It has less surgical trauma and enables faster post-operative recovery, and therefore can achieve the lymph node dissection scope and tumor resection margin required by the standards of radical resection for pancreatic cancer. Nevertheless, its long-term efficacy requires further validation.

The application of the robotic surgical system in pancreaticoduodenectomy

Owing to the operative complexity, the application of minimally invasive surgery to pancreatic procedures has been delayed. However, with advances in technique, and since the introduction of robotic systems in particular, pancreatic minimally invasive surgery has made much progress. Laparoscopic and robotic technology has been widely adopted. The safety and feasibility of minimally invasive procedures for pancreaticoduodenectomy have been confirmed in many reports. However, even with these advantages, laparoscopic and robotic surgery cannot completely replace laparotomy. Pancreatic surgeons need to master these three operative methods to be able to handle complicated clinical situations.

International consensus statement on robotic pancreatic surgery

The robotic surgical system has been applied to various types of pancreatic surgery. However, controversies exist regarding a variety of factors including the safety, feasibility, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of robotic surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the current status of robotic pancreatic surgery and put forth experts' consensus and recommendations to promote its development. Based on the WHO Handbook for Guideline Development, a Consensus Steering Group* and a Consensus Development Group were established to determine the topics, prepare evidence-based documents, and generate recommendations. The GRADE Grid method and Delphi vote were used to formulate the recommendations. A total of 19 topics were analyzed. The first 16 recommendations were generated by GRADE using an evidence-based method (EBM) and focused on the safety, feasibility, indication, techniques, certification of the robotic surgeon, and cost-effectiveness of robotic pancreatic surgery. The remaining three recommendations were based on literature review and expert panel opinion due to insufficient EBM results. Since the current amount of;evidence was low/meager as evaluated by the GRADE method, further randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are needed in the future to validate these recommendations.

Robotic-assisted versus open total pancreatectomy: a propensity score-matched study

Background:Total pancreatectomy(TP)is a complex surgical procedure with significant postoperative morbidity.Despite the narrowed range of indications for TP,the introduction of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and the increasing complexity of surgical resections performed in high-volume centers has increased the number of annually performed TPs,especially regarding malignant disease.The introduction of robotic-assisted pancreatic surgery has provided a novel and minimally invasive approach for TP,yet the feasibility of this technique is still unknown.This study assessed the safety and efficacy of robotic-assisted total pancreatectomy(RTP)compared to conventional open total pancreatectomy(OTP).Methods:All patients who underwent TP between March 2015 and July 2019 in a high-volume institution for pancreatic surgery were included in this retrospective study.Clinical data and perioperative outcomes were derived from the prospectively maintained institutional database.A 1:1 propensity score matching(PSM)method was utilized to compare the RTP and OTP cohorts to minimize bias.Results:A standardized surgical protocol was utilized for RTP following a learning curve of RPD and RDP.The median operative time for patients who underwent RTP was significantly decreased compared to those who underwent OTP[300(IQR,250-360)vs.360 min(IQR,300-525),P=0.031].Additionally,en bloc resection and spleen-preserving rates were also higher in the RTP cohort.Major 30-day morbidity(Clavien-Dindo>IIIa)and 90-day mortality were similar between the two cohorts.After a median follow-up time of 15(IQR,8-24)months,both the RTP and OTP cohorts had a comparable quality of life regarding exocrine and endocrine insufficiency.Conclusions:RTP appears to be safe and feasible when utilized in high-volume centers for the indicated management of benign and highly selected malignant pancreatic disease.However,further prospective randomized studies are needed to assess the feasibility of this approach.

Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute pancreatitis in China (2021)

Acute pancreatitis(AP)is a common acute abdominal condition of the digestive system.In recent years,treatment concepts,methods,and strategies for the diagnosis of AP have advanced,and this has played an important role in promoting the standardization of AP diagnosis and treatment and improving the treatment quality of AP patients.On the basis of previous guidelines and expert consensus,this guideline adopts an evidence-based,problem-based expression;synthesizes important clinical research data at home and abroad in the most recent 5 years;and forms 29 recommendations through multidisciplinary expert discussion,including diagnosis,treatment,and follow-up.It is expected to provide evidence support for the treatment of AP in the clinical setting in China.

Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer in China (2021)

The incidence of pancreatic cancer has been rising worldwide,and its clinical diagnosis and treatment remain a great challenge.To present the update and improvements in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer in recent years,Chinese Pancreatic Association,the Chinese Society of Surgery,Chinese Medical Association revised the Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer in China(2014)after reviewing evidence-based and problem-oriented literature published during 2015-2021,mainly focusing on highlight issues regarding diagnosis and surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer,conversion strategies for locally advanced pancreatic cancer,treatment of pancreatic cancer with oligo metastasis,adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapy,standardized processing of surgical specimens and evaluation of surgical margin status,systemic treatment for unresectable pancreatic cancer,genetic testing,as well as postoperative follow up of patients with pancreatic cancer.Forty recommendation items were finally proposed based on the above issues,and the quality of evidence and strength of recommendations were graded using the Grades of Recommendation,Assessment,Development,and Evaluation system.This guideline aims to standardize the clinical diagnosis and therapy,especially surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer in China,and further improve the prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer.

The current surgical treatment of pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms in China: a national wide cross-sectional study

Objective:The aim of this study is to investigate the current status of the diagnosis and treatment of patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms(pNENs)undergoing surgery in China.Methods:This is a multicenter cross-sectional study performed in China.Data from patients with pNENs undergoing surgery at 33 high-volume medical centers,where the number of pancreatectomies exceeds 20 cases per year,were collected and analyzed between March 1,2016 and February 28,2017.Results:In total,392 patients with pNENs were enrolled.The male to female ratio was 1.4.The majority of patients were aged between 40 and 70 years.65.6%of the patients had non-functional tumors.Among those with functional tumors,the percentages of insulinomas,gastrinomas,glucagonomas,and vasoactive intestinal peptide-secreting tumors were 94.8%,1.5%,2.2%,and 1.5%,respectively.Multidisciplinary team(MDT)discussion was conducted for 39.0%of the patients.Minimally invasive surgery was performed on 31.1%of the 392 patients.The incidence of grade B/C pancreatic fistula formation was 4.4%.A total of 89.0%of the surgeries achieved R0 resection,and 41.6%of the tumors were well differentiated.Lymph node metastasis was present in 8.9%of the patients.The percentages of patients with grades G1,G2,and G3 disease were 49.2%,45.7%,and 5.1%,respectively.Conclusion:This multicenter cross-sectional study systematically presents the current status of the diagnosis and treatment of patients with pNENs undergoing surgery in China.MDT consultation for pNENs has not been widely implemented in China.Although the incidence of surgical complications is relatively low,minimally invasive procedures should be further promoted.This study shows us how to improve the outcomes of these patients.

The current surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer in China: a national wide cross-sectional study

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the current status of pancreatic cancer patients undoing surgical treatment in China and to find ways to improve the survival of these patients in the future. Methods: This study is a national, multicenter, cross-sectional study in China. Information regarding pancreatic cancer patients undergoing surgical treatment from 34 high-volume tertiary IIIA level hospitals was collected and analyzed from the March 1, 2016 to the February 28, 2017. Results: In total, 2200 pancreatic cancer patients were enrolled from 34 tertiary IIIA level hospitals in 16 provinces across China. The male-to-female ratio was 1.5. More than 80% of the patients were between 50 and 70 years old. The top 4 symptoms were epigastric discomfort, abdominal pain, jaundice, and weight loss. Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 and carcinoembryonic antigen were elevated in 70.9% and 27.1% of patients, respectively. A multidisciplinary team (MDT) discussion was carried out for 35.0% of patients before surgery. The proportion of minimally invasive pancreatic surgeries was approximately 20%. A total of 83.4% of the operations achieved R0 resection, and the incidence of grade 3/4 postoperative complications was 7.7%. Only 13.4% of the patients received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. The percentage of pathological stage I tumors was only 24.5%. Conclusion: The majority of pancreatic cancer patients undergoing surgical resection in China are in an advanced stage. The MDT consultations for pancreatic cancer have not been widely carried out. R0 resection has been achieved in most cases, with relatively low incidence of serious complications, but minimally invasive pancreatic surgery should be further promoted. The application of postoperative chemotherapy remains low. This national, multicentre, cross-sectional study comprehensively presents the current status of pancreatic cancer patients undergoing surgical treatment and shows the road to improve survival of these patients in the future.