Endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue sampling induced pancreatic duct leak resolved by the placement of a pancreatic stent:A case report

BACKGROUND Pancreatic ductal leaks complicated by endoscopic ultrasonography-guided tissue sampling(EUS-TS)can manifest as acute pancreatitis.CASE SUMMARY A 63-year-old man presented with persistent abdominal pain and weight loss.Diagnosis:Laboratory findings revealed elevated carbohydrate antigen 19-9(5920 U/mL)and carcinoembryonic antigen(23.7 ng/mL)levels.Magnetic resonance imaging of the pancreas revealed an approximately 3 cm ill-defined space-occupying lesion in the inferior aspect of the head,with severe encasement of the superior mesenteric artery.Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma was confirmed after pathological examination of specimens obtained by EUS-TS using the fanning method.Interventions and outcomes:The following day,the patient experienced severe abdominal pain with high amylase(265 U/L)and lipase(1173 U/L)levels.Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed edematous wall thickening of the second portion of the duodenum with adjacent fluid collections and a suspicious leak from either the distal common bile duct or the main pancreatic duct in the head.Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography revealed dye leakage in the head of the main pancreatic duct.Therefore,a 5F 7 cm linear plastic stent was deployed into the pancreatic duct to divert the pancreatic juice.The patient’s abdominal pain improved immediately after pancreatic stent insertion,and amylase and lipase levels normalized within a week.Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was then initiated.CONCLUSION Using the fanning method in EUS-TS can inadvertently cause damage to the pancreatic duct and may lead to clinically significant pancreatitis.Placing a pancreatic stent may immediately resolve acute pancreatitis and shorten the waiting time for curative therapy.When using the fanning method during EUSTS,ductal structures should be excluded to prevent pancreatic ductal leakage.

Distinguishing between parenchymal and anastomotic leakage at duct-to-mucosa pancreatic reconstruction in pancreaticoduodenectomy

AIM： To distinguish anastomotic from parenchymal leakage at duct-to-mucosa reconstruction of the pancreatic remnant. METHODS： We reviewed the charts of 68 pancreaticoduodenectomies performed between 5/2000 and 12/2005 with end-to-side duct-to-mucosa pancreatojejunostomy （PJ）. The results of pancreatography, as well as peripancreatic drain volumes, and amylase levels were analyzed. RESULTS： Of 68 pancreatojejunostomies, 48 had no leak by pancreatography and had low-drain amylase （normal）; eight had no pancreatographic leak but had elevated drain amylase （parenchymal leak）; and 12 had pancreatographic leak and elevated drain amylase （anastomotic leak）. Although drain volumes in the parenchymal leak group were significantly elevated at postoperative day （POD） 4, no difference was found at POD 7. Drain amylase level was not significantly different at POD 4. In contrast, at POD 7, the anastomotic-leak group had significantly elevated drain amylase level compared with normal and parenchymalleak groups （14158 ＋ 24083 IU/L vs 89 ＋ 139 IU/L and 1707 ＋ 1515 IU/L, respectively, P = 0.012）. CONCLUSION： For pancreatic remnant reconstruction after pancreaticoduodenectomy, a combination of pancreatogram and peripancreatic drain amylase levels can be used to distinguish between parenchymal and anastomotic leakage at pancreatic remnant reconstruction.

Use of isolated Roux loop for pancreaticojejunostomy reconstruction after pancreaticoduodenectomy

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of the isolated Roux loop technique in decreasing the frequency of pancreaticojejunal anastomosis failure. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 88 consecutive patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (standard or pylorus-preserving). Single jejunal loop was used in 42 patients (SL group) while isolated Roux loop was used in 46 patients (RL group). Demographic characteristics (age, gender) and perioperative results (major/minor complications, mortality, hospital stay) were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Mortality was almost equal in both groups and overall mortality was 2.27%. Leak rate from the pancreaticojejunal anastomosis and hospital stay were lower in the RL group without significant difference. Morbidity was 39.1% in the RL group, insignificantly higherthan the SL group. Operative time was almost 30 min longer in the RL group. CONCLUSION: The isolated Roux loop, although an equally safe alternative, does not present advantages over the traditional use of a single jejunal loop. Randomized controlled studies are required to further clarify its efficacy.

Intraoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for traumatic pancreatic ductal injuries:Two case reports

BACKGROUND In order to successfully manage traumatic pancreatic duct(PD)leaks,early diagnosis and operative management is paramount in reducing morbidity and mortality.In the acute setting,endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)can be a useful,adjunctive modality during exploratory laparotomy.ERCP with sphincterotomy and stent placement improves preferential drainage in the setting of injury,allowing the pancreatic leak to properly heal.However,data in this acute setting is limited.CASE SUMMARY In this case series,a 27-year-old male and 16-year-old female presented with PD leaks secondary to a gunshot wound and blunt abdominal trauma,respectively.Both underwent intraoperative ERCP within an average of 5.9 h from time of presentation.A sphincterotomy and plastic pancreatic stent placement was performed with a 100%technical and clinical success.There were no associated immediate or long-term complications.Following discharge,both patients underwent repeat ERCP for stent removal with resolution of ductal injury.CONCLUSION These experiences further demonstrated that widespread adaption and optimal timing of ERCP may improve outcomes in trauma centers.