Bruce E. Stabile

The gastrinoma triangle: operative implications

Operative experience with 45 gastrinoma patients has led to the identification of an anatomic area where occult tumors can be discovered and where excision of these tumors had led to apparent cure. Of 36 patients with histologically confirmed gastrinomas, 27 patients (75 percent) had obvious and 9 patients (25 percent) had occult tumors. All nine occult lesions were found within an anatomic triangle defined by the junction of the cystic and common bile ducts superiorly, the junction of the second and third portions of the duodenum inferiorly, and the junction of the neck and body of the pancreas medially. Although occult tumors from three patients (in the lymph nodes in two patients and in the duodenum in one patient) were removed primarily for histologic diagnosis, postoperative serum gastrin levels have remained within the normal range (follow-up of 86 to 99 months). Two patients had excision of the tumor with intent to cure. One patient with a solitary duodenal tumor was apparently cured but committed suicide 3 months postoperatively. The other patient had both obvious primary and occult metastatic tumors within the triangle and was eugastrinemic 9 months after excision. In all patients in whom tumor was found, it was locally excised, and no patient was subjected to radical pancreatic resection. There were no postoperative complications related to tumor removal. An aggressive approach towards curative tumor excision is now advocated for all gastrinoma patients who are suitable operative risks and have no evidence preoperatively of liver metastases or the multiple endocrine neoplasm-type I syndrome.

Benign and malignant gastrinoma

The advent of the histamine H2-receptor antagonists and the renewed interest in curative surgery in patients with gastrinoma have made the differentiation between benign and malignant tumors of critical importance. An analysis of 65 patients with gastrinoma followed for an average of 93 months revealed two distinct clinical groups: those with and those without hepatic tumors at initial examination or operation. Among the 14 patients with hepatic tumors, 12 had multiple liver metastases from pancreatic or duodenal primary tumors, and 2 had primary hepatic gastrinomas. Ten of the 14 patients (71 percent) died from tumor progression, and the total tumor-related mortality for this group was 79 percent. In contrast, only 1 of 15 patients (7 percent) with tumor in the lymph nodes died from a tumor-related cause (recurrent ulcer hemorrhage), and none died from tumor progression. Only a single patient with lymph node metastases at initial exploration went on to the development of liver metastases, which was found incidentally at autopsy 313 months later. Among 23 patients with either primary tumors only or no tumors found at laparotomy, there was only one tumor-related death and no deaths from tumor spread. Life-table analysis demonstrated a significantly decreased length of survival for patients with liver tumor compared with those without liver involvement. Multiple endocrine adenopathy syndrome was not a significant factor in survival. Serum gastrin levels were likewise nondiscriminatory. Six of 52 patients (12 percent), including three with tumor in the lymph nodes, were apparently cured by excision of all gastrinoma recognized at laparotomy. The cure rate was 23 percent for patients without multiple endocrine adenopathy syndrome or liver metastases. Hepatic metastases is a definitive marker for clinically malignant disease and portends a poor prognosis. Patients with gastrinoma confined to the lymph nodes uncommonly follow a malignant clinical course. Such patients have at least a 20 percent probability of surgical cure if they do not have multiple endocrine adenopathy syndrome.

Preoperative percutaneous drainage of diverticular abscesses

To define the role of percutaneous catheter drainage in the initial management of diverticular abscess, we reviewed 19 patients who were followed for an average of 17.4 months after drainage. All patients had large paracolic or pelvic abscesses with a mean size of 8.9 cm. There were no complications related to catheter placement, and 15 patients (79 percent) required drainage for less than 3 weeks. Sepsis resolved rapidly, and only two patients (11 percent) had persistent fever or leukocytosis beyond the third day of drainage. Routine sinography revealed fistulous communications to the colon in nine patients (47 percent), but only three (16 percent) had grossly feculent drainage. Fourteen patients (74 percent) completed the treatment plan of preoperative catheter drainage followed by single-stage sigmoid colectomy and primary anastomosis without complications. Two patients refused operation, one of whom died 16 days postoperatively from recurrent sepsis and end-stage pulmonary disease. The three patients with fecal fistulas all had inadequate control of infection, suggesting the need for early operation and fecal diversion in such cases. We conclude that preoperative percutaneous catheter drainage obviates the need for colostomy and multiple-stage surgery in approximately three-fourths of patients with large diverticular abscesses.

Preoperative versus postoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in mild to moderate gallstone pancreatitis: a prospective randomized trial.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and common bile duct (CBD) stone extraction should be performed routinely before surgery orselectively after surgery in patients with mild to moderate gallstone pancreatitis. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA The role and timing of ERCP in mild to moderate gallstone pancreatitis remains controversial. Routine preoperative ERCP identifies persisting CBD stones but carries risks of complications and may delay definitive care. Selective postoperative ERCP, performed only if a CBD stone is seen on intraoperative cholangiography (IOC), avoids unnecessary ERCP but risks unsuccessful stone extraction. METHODS A prospective, randomized study of consecutive patients with gallstone pancreatitis was conducted. Using previously determined criteria, patients with acute cholangitis or necrotizing pancreatitis were excluded. Patients considered at high risk for persisting CBD stones (CBD size > or =8 mm on admission ultrasound, serum total bilirubin > or = 1.7 mg/dL, or serum amylase > or = 150 U/L on hospital day 4) were randomly assigned to routine preoperative ERCP followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy, or laparoscopic cholecystectomy with selective postoperative ERCP and endoscopic sphincterotomy only if a CBD stone was present on IOC. Primary end points were costs, length of hospital stay, and the combined treatment failure rates (failure of diagnostic ERCP and IOC, complications of ERCP and endoscopic sphincterotomy, and complications of surgery). RESULTS One hundred fifty-four consecutive patients with gallstone pancreatitis were evaluated prospectively for study eligibility. Sixty patients met the randomization criteria. Thirty patients were randomized to routine preoperative ERCP and 29 patients to selective postoperative ERCP (1 patient refused). Age, admission laboratory values, and APACHE II and Imrie scores were similar in both groups. By protocol, ERCP was performed in all patients in the preoperative ERCP group. In the postoperative ERCP group, ERCP was necessary in only 7 of 29 patients (24%). Mean hospital stay was significantly longer in the routine preoperative ERCP group (11.7 days) than in the selective postoperative ERCP group (9.0 days). Mean total cost was higher in the preoperative ERCP group (

Early cholecystectomy safely decreases hospital stay in patients with mild gallstone pancreatitis: a randomized prospective study.

9,426) than in the postoperative ERCP group (

Gastrinoma Excision for Cure: A Prospective Analysis

7,798). The combined treatment failure rate was 10% in both groups. CONCLUSIONS In patients with mild to moderate gallstone pancreatitis without cholangitis, selective postoperative ERCP and CBD stone extraction is associated with a shorter hospital stay, less cost, no increase in combined treatment failure rate, and significant reduction in ERCP use compared with routine preoperative ERCP.

Recurrent Peptic Ulcer

Objective:We hypothesized that laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed within 48 hours of admission for mild gallstone pancreatitis, regardless of resolution of abdominal pain or abnormal laboratory values, would result in a shorter hospital stay. Summary of Background Data:Although there is consensus among surgeons that patients with gallstone pancreatitis should undergo cholecystectomy to prevent recurrence, the precise timing of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for mild disease remains controversial. Methods:Consecutive patients with mild pancreatitis (Ranson score ≤3) were prospectively randomized to either an early laparoscopic cholecystectomy group (within 48 hours of admission) versus a control laparoscopic cholecystectomy group (performed after resolution of abdominal pain and normalizing trend of laboratory enzymes). The primary end point was hospital length of stay. Secondary end point was a composite of rates of conversion to an open procedure, perioperative complications, and need for endoscopic retrograde cholangiography. The study was designed to enroll 100 patients with an interim analysis after 50 patients. Results:At interim analysis, 50 patients were enrolled at a single university-affiliated public hospital. Of them, 25 patients were randomized to the early group and 25 patients to the control group. Patient age ranged from 18 to 74 years with a median duration of symptoms of 2 days upon presentation and a median Ranson score of 1. There were no baseline differences between the groups with regards to demographics, clinical presentation, or the presence of comorbidities. The hospital length of stay was shorter for the early cholecystectomy group (mean: 3.5 [95% CI, 2.7–4.3], median: 3 [IQR, 2–4]) compared with the control group (mean: 5.8 [95% CI, 3.8–7.9], median: 4 [IQR, 4–6] [P = 0.0016]). Six patients from the early group required endoscopic retrograde cholangiography, compared with 4 in the control group (P = 0.72). There was no statistically significant difference in the need for conversion to an open procedure or in perioperative complication rates between the 2 groups. Conclusion:In mild gallstone pancreatitis, laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed within 48 hours of admission, regardless of the resolution of abdominal pain or laboratory abnormalities, results in a shorter hospital length of stay with no apparent impact on the technical difficulty of the procedure or perioperative complication rate.

Gastric adenocarcinoma in patients 40 years of age or younger

The role of surgery in the treatment of gastrinoma is unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine prospectively the surgical cure rate using a controlled clinical trial. Eleven patients who fit the entry criteria underwent abdominal exploration and attempted tumor resection for cure. A historical control group was used for comparison. Cure was defined as: (1) normal serum gastrin level, (2) no response to intravenous secretin, (3) no symptoms when antisecretory medications are stopped, and (4) no tumor recurrence on follow-up examination. Tumors found in both groups tended to be small (1.5 cm vs. 2.2 cm), multiple (71% vs. 40%), and in lymph nodes (70% vs. 70%). All tumors identified were located anatomically within the gastrinoma triangle. Tumors were found in 10 of 11 patients (91%) in the study group, and significantly more patients had their tumors excised for cure as compared to controls (82% vs. 27%, p less than 0.05). The current prospective cure rate for gastrinoma is higher than previously appreciated and tumors within lymph nodes do not preclude curative resection.

SURGICAL MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT OF PANCREATIC FISTULAS

From 1 to 5% of patients can be expected to develop recurrent ulceration following current surgical therapy for peptic ulcer disease. The development of recurrent ulcer frequently reflects an inadequacy of the initial procedure. The nature of the inadequacy is often difficult to delineate because of alterations in anatomy and physiology and the lack of accurate diagnostic procedures. Incomplete vagotomy and inadequate gastric resection account for the vast majority of surgical deficiencies. Gastrinoma, retained gastric antrum, and hyperparathyroidism are the most frequently encountered endocrine causes. A thorough evaluation must include gastrointestinal X-rays, fiberoptic endoscopy, multiple serum calcium and gastrin determinations, and provocative testing. Medical management of recurrent ulcer fails in the vast majority of cases. Reoperation is successful in about 70% of cases and has a mortality rate of 4%. Recurrent ulcer after simple gastroenterostomy is best treated by gastric resection or vagotomy and resection. After initial adequate gastric resection, vagotomy alone usually suffices. Antrectomy and, if necessary, re-vagotomy should be done for recurrent ulcer after vagotomy and drainage. Re-vagotomy alone is usually effective therapy for recurrent ulcer after initial vagotomy and resection. Non-acid reducing operations should not be done, as they result in high mortality and high second recurrence rates.

Anatomic distribution of pancreatic endocrine tumors

BACKGROUND Gastric adenocarcinoma is considered a disease of the middle aged and elderly and has been infrequently reported in patients under 40 years of age. The purpose of this study was to determine the proportion of young patients diagnosed with gastric adenocarcinoma and to compare the demographic, clinical and pathologic features of younger and older patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. METHODS A retrospective cohort study using tumor registry records of all patients with gastric adenocarcinoma diagnosed from 1982 through 1996 at a public teaching hospital. Demographic, clinical, and pathologic comparisons were made between patients younger than 41 years of age and race- and sex-matched older patients with gastric adenocarcinoma. RESULTS Thirty of 203 (15%) cases of gastric adenocarcinoma were diagnosed in patients less than 41 years (range 23 to 40). Male to female ratio was 1:1. Young patients were more likely to be black (33% versus 17%, P = 0.04) Both younger and older patients presented with advanced disease, with nearly half of each group having metastases. Twelve of 29 (41%) younger patients were operated on without a histologic diagnosis of gastric adenocarcinoma in contrast to only 1 older patient (P < 0.001). One of 30 (3%) young patients is alive 39 months following gastrectomy. Twenty patients died and the remaining 9 were lost to follow-up, all with known residual or recurrent disease. Six-month survival of young patients (23%) was less than older patients (42%) (P = 0.14). Young patients were more likely to have diffuse histology (80% versus 55%, P = 0.12). Overt infection with Helicobacter pylori was uncommon in both groups. CONCLUSIONS Young patients accounted for an unusually high proportion of patients with gastric adenocarcinoma diagnosed at our public teaching hospital. Young patients were significantly more likely to be black and less likely to have an accurate preoperative histologic diagnosis. Both young and older patients presented with advanced disease and had poor survival. Young patients were more likely to have diffuse histology and had poorer 6-month survival, suggesting a more aggressive variety of the disease in this group.