Ajit Abraham

A comparison of pancreaticoduodenectomy with extended pancreaticoduodenectomy: A meta-analysis of 1909 patients

AIM To compare outcomes between pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and extended pancreaticoduodenectomy (EPD) from all published comparative studies in the literature. METHODS Using meta-analytical techniques the present study compared operative details, post-operative adverse events and survival following PD and EPD. Comparative studies published between 1988 and 2005 of PD versus EPD were included. End points were classified into peri-operative details, post-operative complications including 30day mortality, and survival as measured during follow up. A random effect model was employed. RESULTS Sixteen comparative studies comprising 1909 patients (865 PD and 1044 EPD), including 3 randomized controlled trials with 454 patients (226 PD and 228 EPD) were identified. Tumour size was comparable between the groups (weighted mean difference (WMD) -0.16 cm, p=0.76). Significantly more lymph nodes were harvested from those patients undergoing EPD (WMD p=14 nodes, p< or =0.001). Operative time was longer in EPD (WMD -48.9 min, p<0.001) and there was a trend towards fewer positive resection margins (odds ratio (OR) 1.78, p=0.080). Peri-operative adverse events were similar between the groups with only delayed gastric emptying (OR 0.59, p=0.030) occurring less frequently in the PD group. Peri-operative mortality (OR 1.48, p=0.180) and long-term survival (hazard ratio 0.77, p=0.100) showed a non-significant trend favouring EPD. CONCLUSIONS EPD is associated with a greater nodal harvest and fewer positive resection margins than PD. However, the risk of delayed gastric emptying is increased and no significant survival benefit has been shown. Better designed, adequately powered studies are required to settle this question.

A comparison of pancreaticoduodenectomy with pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy: a meta-analysis of 2822 patients.

BACKGROUND The gold-standard for surgical excision of peri-ampullary tumours has not been established despite numerous studies, due to conflicting outcomes. AIM To consolidate the published evidence and compare outcomes between pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD) across all published comparative studies. METHODS Using meta-analytical techniques the study compared: operative details, post-operative adverse events and survival following PD and PPPD. Comparative studies published between 1986 and 2005 of PD versus PPPD were included. A random effect model was employed, with significance reported at the 5% level. RESULTS 32 studies comprising 2822 patients (1335 PD and 1487 PPPD), including 5 randomized controlled trials with 421 patients (215 PD and 206 PPPD) were included. Patients undergoing PPPD were found to have smaller tumours (weighted mean difference (WMD) -0.54 cm, p=0.030), although no significant difference in the number of patients with stage III or IV disease existed between the groups (odds ratio, OR 1.55, p=0.320). Decreased operating times (WMD -41.3 min, p=0.010) and fewer blood transfusions (WMD -0.9 units, p<0.001) were observed in the PPPD group. There was no difference in post-operative complications, including pancreatic and biliary leaks or fistulae, between the two groups. It was suggested that peri-operative mortality was decreased in the PPPD group (OR 1.7, p=0.040), and overall survival was better (hazard ratio (HR) 0.66, p=0.02), although this did not remain significant on subgroup analysis. CONCLUSIONS Both PD and PPPD had similar peri-operative adverse events, however, in overall analysis PPPD has lower mortality and improved long-term patient survival, although this was not reflected in the sub-group analysis.

Impact of hospital volume on outcomes for pancreaticoduodenectomy: A single UK HPB centre experience ☆

BACKGROUND High hospital volume has a favorable impact on outcomes for complex procedures including pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD); however, the temporal relationship has not been evaluated in a single centre. AIM To evaluate the impact of UK cancer outcome guidelines (COG) on outcomes for PD in a single UK HPB specialist centre. PATIENTS AND METHODS All patients with pancreatic pathologies undergoing surgery at our institution from 1999 to 2006 were identified, of which 140 underwent PD. The annual caseload for PD and corresponding outcomes for length of hospital stay, morbidity, mortality and survival were analysed during the period around the implementation of UK COG with an increase in the surgical workload correlating with catchments population increase from 1.6 to 3.1 million. RESULTS Between January 1999 and December 2006, 140 patients underwent a PD (M:F 1.06:1; median age 64 (range 34-84) years). Median hospital stay was 16 days (range 7-318). The 30-day mortality was 2.8%, in-hospital mortality was 6.4% and morbidity was 37.1%. Pancreatic leak/fistula rate was 8.6%. Over the 7-year period, PDs per year increased 5.3 fold from 6 procedures in 1999 to 32 in 2006. Analysis of the data for 1999-2002-(pre-COG) and 2003-2006-(post-COG) showed a trend towards decrease in mortality (from 9.7% to 5.0%, p = 0.448: OR = 2.74 (95% CI, 0.58-12.88); Fishers exact test) and morbidity (from 41.6% to 35.3%; OR = 1.29 (95% CI, 0.74-3.56); p = 0.565). CONCLUSION With COG implementation within a single UK pancreatic unit, the PD volume and staffing levels increased with a trend towards decreased morbidity and mortality.

Emergency room surgical workload in an inner city UK teaching hospital

BackgroundEmergency admissions may account for over 50% of surgical admissions. The impact on service provision and implications for training are difficult to quantify. We performed a cohort study to analyse these workload patterns.MethodsData on emergency room (ER) surgical admissions over six months was collected including patient demographics, referral sources, diagnosis, operation and length of stay and analysed according to sub-speciality and age-groups.ResultsThere were 1392 (median age 41 (IQR 28–60) years, M:F = 1.7:1) emergency surgical admissions over six months; 45% were under 40 years of age and 48% patients self-referred to the ER. The commonest diagnoses were abscesses (11%), non-specific abdominal pain (9.7%) and neuro-trauma (9.6%). The median length of stay was 4 (IQR 2–8) days; with older (>80 years) patient staying significantly longer than those <40 years of age (median 8 vs 2 two days, P < 0.0001, Kruskal-Wallis test). Vascular patients remained in hospital longer than trauma or general surgery patients (median 14 vs 3 days, P < 0.0001, Kruskal-Wallis test). A high proportion (43.5%) of the patients required operative intervention and service implications of various diagnoses and operative interventions are highlighted.ConclusionWith the introduction of shortened training period in Europe and World over, trainees may benefit from increased exposure to trauma and surgical emergencies. Resource planning should be based on more comprehensive, prospective data such as these.

Complications of biliary-enteric anastomoses

INTRODUCTION Biliary‐enteric anastomoses are performed for a range of indications and may result in early and late complications. The aim of this study was to assess the risk factors and management of anastomotic leak and stricture following biliary‐enteric anastomosis. METHODS A retrospective analysis of the medical records of patients who underwent biliary‐enteric anastomoses in a tertiary referral centre between 2000 and 2010 was performed. RESULTS Four hundred and sixty‐two biliary‐enteric anastomoses were performed. Of these, 347 (75%) were performed for malignant disease. Roux‐en‐Y hepaticojejunostomy or choledocho‐jejunostomy were performed in 440 (95%) patients. Perioperative 30‐day mortality was 6.5% (n=30). Seventeen patients had early bile leaks (3.7%) and 17 had late strictures (3.7%) at a median of 12 months. On univariable logistic regression analysis, younger age was a significant risk factor for biliary anastomotic leak. However, on multivariable analysis only biliary reconstruction following biliary injury (odds ratio [OR]=6.84; p=0.002) and anastomosis above the biliary confluence (OR=4.62; p=0.03) were significant. Younger age and biliary reconstruction following injury appeared to be significant risk factors for biliary strictures but multivariable analysis showed that only younger age was significant. CONCLUSIONS Biliary‐enteric anastomoses have a low incidence of early and late complications. Biliary reconstruction following injury and a high anastomosis (above the confluence) are significant risk factors for anastomotic leak. Younger patients are significantly more likely to develop an anastomotic stricture over the longer term.

Role of laparoscopy in hepatobiliary malignancies

The many benefits of laparoscopy, including smaller incision, reduced length of hospital stay and more rapid return to normal function, have seen its popularity grow in recent years. With concurrent improvements in non-surgical cancer management the importance of accurate staging is becoming increasingly important. There are two main applications of laparoscopic surgery in managing hepato-pancreatico-biliary (HPB) malignancy: accurate staging of disease and resection. We aim to summarize the use of laparoscopy in these contexts. The role of staging laparoscopy has become routine in certain cancers, in particular T2 staged, locally advanced gastric cancer, hilar cholangiocarcinoma and non-Hodgkins lymphoma. For other cancers, in particular colorectal, laparoscopy has now become the gold standard management for resection such that there is no role for stand-alone staging laparoscopy. In HPB cancers, although staging laparoscopy may play a role, with ever improving radiology, its role remains controversial.

Neutrophil: Lymphocyte ratio as a method of predicting complications following hepatic resection for colorectal liver metastasis

Approximately 30‐50% of patients with colorectal cancer develop liver metastasis for which liver resection is the only hope for potential cure. However, hepatic resection is associated with considerable morbidity. The aim was to detect early complications by utilising the neutrophil: lymphocyte ratio (NLR).

Factors affecting length of stay after percutaneous biliary interventions

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the factors affecting the length of hospital stay (LOS) after percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD). METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients who had undergone PTBD with or without stenting at a UK specialist centre between 2005 and 2016 was conducted. RESULTS: 692 patients underwent 1976 procedures over 731 clinical episodes for which, the median age was 65 (range 18-100) years, and the median Charlson Index was 3. PTBD was performed for malignant (n = 563) and benign strictures (n = 60), stones (n = 62), and bile leaks (n = 46). The median LOS was 13 (range 0-157) days, and the median interprocedure duration was 9 (range 0-304) days. The median number of procedures per patient was 2 and the median number of days required to complete a set of procedures for a patient (TBID) ranged from 0 to 557 days, with a median of 16 (interquartile range: 8-32) days. Patients with biliary leak had the highest LOS. Biliary stents were mostly placed at the second stage at a median of 6 (range 0-120) days from the first procedure day. Placement of a biliary stent in the first stage of the procedure was associated with shorter LOS (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Biliary stenting at index procedure reduces LOS, although it is not always technically possible. Patients with bile leak managed with PTBD have longer LOS. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE: This study provides data which can help in appropriate consenting, better planning, and efficient resource utilization for patients undergoing PTBD.

Solid pseudopapillary tumour of the pancreas: clinicopathological analysis: Solid pseudopapillary tumour of the pancreas

We report on our experience of the surgical management and outcomes of 11 patients with solid pseudopapillary tumour of the pancreas (SPT). We sought to correlate the immunohistochemical staining of these tumours with that previously reported in the literature.

Predicting complications in hepatic resection for colorectal liver metastasis: the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio: LMR and complications in CLM resection

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide; whilst approximately 20% of patients have hepatic disease at presentation. Hepatic resection remains the gold standard of care; however, it is associated with significant morbidity. We sought to establish whether the lymphocyte‐to‐monocyte ratio (LMR) could help predict post‐operative complications, thus improving patient outcomes.