Alban Cacurri

Robotic distal pancreatectomy with or without preservation of spleen: a technical note

BackgroundDistal pancreatectomy (DP) is a surgical procedure performed to remove the pancreatic tail jointly with a variable part of the pancreatic body and including a spleen resection in the case of conventional distal pancreatectomy or not in the spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy.MethodsIn this article, we describe a standardized operative technique for fully robotic distal pancreatectomy.ResultsIn the last decade, the use of robotic systems has become increasingly common as an approach for benign and malignant pancreatic disease treatment. Robotic Distal Pancreatectomy (RDP) is an emerging technology for which sufficient data to draw definitive conclusions in surgical oncology are still not available because the follow-up period after surgery is too short (less than 2 years).ConclusionsRDP is an emerging technology for which sufficient data to draw definitive conclusions of value in surgical oncology are still not available, however this techniques is safe and reproducible by surgeons that possess adequate skills.

Robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy in a case of duodenal gastrointestinal stromal tumor.

BackgroundLaparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy is rarely performed, and it has not been particularly successful due to its technical complexity. The objective of this study is to highlight how robotic surgery could improve a minimally invasive approach and to expose the usefulness of robotic surgery even in complex surgical procedures.Case presentationThe surgical technique employed in our center to perform a pancreaticoduodenectomy, which was by means of the da Vinci™ robotic system in order to remove a duodenal gastrointestinal stromal tumor, is reported.ConclusionsRobotic technology has improved significantly over the traditional laparoscopic approach, representing an evolution of minimally invasive techniques, allowing procedures to be safely performed that are still considered to be scarcely feasible or reproducible.

The measurement of amylase in drain fluid for the detection of pancreatic fistula after gastric cancer surgery: an interim analysis

BackgroundPancreatic fistula is still one of the most serious and potential complications after D2-D3 distal and total gastrectomy (4% to 6%). Despite their importance, pancreatic fistulas still have not been uniformly defined. Amylase concentration of the drainage fluid after surgery for gastric cancer can be considered as a predictive factor of the presence of pancreatic fistula.MethodsFrom January 2009 to April 2013, 53 patients underwent surgery for gastric cancer. Amylase concentration in the drainage fluid was measured on the first postoperative day and if it was ≥1,000 UI, it was measured again on the third postoperative day. Pancreatic fistula occurred in four cases (7.5%). Pancreatic fistulas were classified using the International Study Group on Pancreatic Fistula (ISGPF) criteria into different grades of severity. Two fistulas were Grade A, one was Grade B, and one was Grade C.ResultsManagement of drainage tubes is still crucial after gastrectomy, not only for the likelihood of anastomotic leaks but also the eventual diagnosis and management of pancreatic fistula. High amylase drainage content and then the presence of the pancreatic fistula may be due to several causes: the operation itself when it includes splenectomy or pancreatic tail-splenectomy, the extended lymphadenectomy but even the ‘gently and softly’ pancreatic manipulation, according literature, may be a risk factor.ConclusionsThe authors assessed amylase concentration in the drainage fluid collected from the left subphrenic cavity on POD1 and POD3 in 53 patients who had undergone curative gastrectomy for cancer and concluded that amylase drainage content >3 times the serum amylase was a useful predictive risk factor for pancreatic fistula. Our work is an interim analysis and the aim of this study is to increase the accrual of the number of patients to have a significant number. For this reason, a protocol for a multicenter trial will be designed to verify whether the systematic measurement of amylase in drain fluid is better than abdominal ultrasound for the detection of pancreatic fistula after gastric cancer surgery.

Road Accident due to a Pancreatic Insulinoma: A Case Report

AbstractInsulinoma is a rare pancreatic endocrine tumor, typically sporadic and solitary. Although the Whipple triad, consisting of hypoglycemia, neuroglycopenic symptoms, and symptoms relief with glucose administration, is often present, the diagnosis may be challenging when symptoms are less typical.We report a case of road accident due to an episode of loss of consciousness in a patient with pancreatic insulinoma. In the previous months, the patient had occasionally reported nonspecific symptoms. During hospitalization, endocrine examinations were compatible with an insulin-producing tumor. Abdominal computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging allowed us to identify and localize the tumor. The patient underwent a robotic distal pancreatectomy with partial omentectomy and splenectomy.Insulin-producing tumors may go undetected for a long period due to nonspecific clinical symptoms, and may cause episodes of loss of consciousness with potentially lethal consequences. Robot-assisted procedures can be performed with the same techniques of the traditional surgery, reducing surgical trauma, intraoperative blood loss, and hospital stays.

Distal pancreatectomy with splenic preservation: A short-term outcome analysis of the Warshaw technique

INTRODUCTION Spleen-preserving left pancreatectomy (SPDP) with splenic vessels preservation (SVP) or without (Warshaw technique, WT) has been described with robotic, laparoscopy and open surgery. Nevertheless, significant data on medium- and long-term follow-up are still not available, since data in literature are scarce and the level of evidence is low. METHODS In this retrospective study, we describe and compare short and medium term results of spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy in eight patients. RESULTS In WT group the duration and the intraoperative bleeding was superior than SVP group. The incidence of perigastric collateral vessels and presence of submucosal varices evidenced at CT scan was 66% in WT group, while only one case occurred in SVP group. DISCUSSION The limit of laparoscopic approach is the fact that it needs advanced laparoscopic skills, which might result in intraoperative bleeding and splenectomy. The most of literature considered salvage WT intraoperatively performed in case of classical SVP and not only elective WT. The consequence is that there is no difference in immediate postoperative results (operative time, intraoperative bleeding, hospital stay) that are in favour of SVP because WT is performed only in case of failure in preserving the splenic vessels. In fact when this intervention is performed electively, the procedure time is reduced as well as the intraoperative bleeding. CONCLUSIONS WT is safe and feasible, even if there are not definitive evidences that demonstrate it is superior to classic SVP. RCTs are needed to determine advantages and disadvantages of WT compared to the classic SVP.

Colovesical fistulae in the sigmoid diverticulitis

In most cases Colovesical fistulae are complications of diverticular disease and representing the most common kind of colodigestive fistula; less common are colovaginal, colocutaneous, coloenteric and colouterine fistula. In this article we review the literature concerning colovesical fistulae in colorectal surgery for sigmoid diverticulitis and report on two cases that required a surgical treatment, one elective and the other in emergency. In both cases we performed a sigmoid resection with a primary anastomosis and small vesical window-ectomy placing a Foley catheter for about 10 days.

A Rare Case of Perforated Descending Colon Cancer Complicated with a Fistula and Abscess of Left Iliopsoas and Ipsilateral Obturator Muscle

Perforation of descending colon cancer combined with iliopsoas abscess and fistula formation is a rare condition and has been reported few times. A 67-year-old man came to our first aid for an acute pain in the left iliac fossa, in the flank, and in the ipsilateral thigh. Ultrasonography and computed tomography revealed a left abdominal wall, retroperitoneal, and iliopsoas abscess that also involved the ipsilateral obturator muscle. It proceeded with an exploratory laparotomy that showed a tumor of the descending colon adhered and perforated in the retroperitoneum with abscess of the iliopsoas muscle on the left-hand side, with presence of a fistula and liver metastases. A left hemicolectomy with drainage of the broad abscess was performed. Pathologic report findings determined adenocarcinoma of the resected colon.

The surgical treatment of colorectal cancer in patients over seventy-five years old. Risk factor analysis in patients operated in election and in emergency

We assessed the risk factors of the surgical treatment in the elective and emergency management. Among the 47 patients electively treated, 33 were affected by cardiocirculatory diseases, 23 by kidney diseases, 14 by metabolic and endocrine diseases, and 11 patients by respiratory diseases. In the 19 patients, who underwent emergency surgery, 75% had intestinal obstruction, and 25% had intestinal perforation.

The primary gastric stump cancer in geriatric patients

Methods The authors present 7 cases of primary gastric stump cancer surgically treated in our department during the period 1999–2002. The age of patients was between 61 and 79 years. The average time between primary gastric resection and diagnosis of carcinoma of gastric stump was 19 years (6–32 years). All patients considered operable underwent total gastrectomy and restoration of intestinal transit according to Rouxs technique.