Federico Gheza

Management of Pancreatic Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm in an Academic Hospital (2005-2010): What Follow-Up for Unoperated Patients?

Objectives Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) of the pancreas are diagnosed frequently in asymptomatic patients. It is still not clear what follow-up is indicated for patients not undergoing surgical resection. Methods Review of all reports of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) from June 2005 to June 2010, identifying all patients diagnosed with IPMN; subsequent reconstruction of the initial therapeutic decision, indications for and adherence to scheduled follow-up, and IPMN evolution by morphology and by biology. Results Overall, 4943 MRCP reports were analyzed, identifying 234 patients with IPMN. Although 143 (61.1%) of these were comprised in Sendai criteria for resection, surgical resection was considered in only 42 (17.9%) patients. Of the remainder, 52 were not subjected to any control, 58 to a single short time check, 77 to MRCP-based regular annual follow-up, and 5 were treated for associated ductal adenocarcinoma. With a median follow-up of 39.5 months (range, 12–72), 37.6% of 125 patients in follow-up had a morphological evolution, but only 2.4% has developed a malignant IPMN. No deaths were recorded, directly related to IPMN, in all 187 conservatively managed patients. Conclusions In the analyzed series, fewer patients than expected underwent surgical resection, and only 67.2% undergo regular follow-up, but no more than 2.4% developed malignancy.

Advanced sealing and dissecting devices in laparoscopic adrenal surgery.

The use of advanced sealing devices was associated with reduced operative time, particularly with left adrenalectomy.

Increased risk of second malignancy in pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous tumors: Review of the literature

AIM To analyze the available evidence about the risk of extrapancreatic malignancies and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma associated to pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous tumors (IPMNs). METHODS A systematic search of literature was undertaken using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane and Web-of-Science libraries. No limitations for year of publication were considered; preference was given to English papers. All references in selected articles were further screened for additional publications. Both clinical series and Literature reviews were selected. For all eligible studies, a standard data extraction form was filled in and the following data were extracted: study design, number of patients, prevalence of pancreatic cancer and extrapancreatic malignancies in IPMN patients and control groups, if available. RESULTS A total of 805 abstracts were selected and read; 25 articles were considered pertinent and 17 were chosen for the present systematic review. Eleven monocentric series, 1 multicentric series, 1 case-control study, 1 population-based study and 3 case report were included. A total of 2881 patients were globally analyzed as study group, and the incidence of pancreatic cancer and/or extrapancreatic malignancies ranged from 5% to 52%, with a mean of 28.71%. When a control group was analyzed (6 papers), the same incidence was as low as 9.4%. CONCLUSION The available Literature is unanimous in claiming IPMNs to be strongly associated with pancreatic and extrapancreatic malignancies. The consequences in IPMNs management are herein discussed.

Robot-Assisted Subtotal Pancreas-Preserving Duodenectomy

The use of robotic assistance to perform subtotal pancreas-preserving duodenectomy appears to be feasible and safe.

Distant nodal metastasis: is it always an unresectable disease?

This article aims at analyzing the published literature concerning the treatment of patients with gastric cancer and distant nodal metastases, actually considered metastatic disease. A systematic search was undertaken using Medline, Embase, Cochrane and Web-of-Science libraries. No specific restriction on year of publication was used; preference was given to English papers. Both clinical series and literature reviews were selected. Only 11 papers address the issue of surgery for nodal basins outside the D2 dissection area. From these papers, in selected cases extended surgery may prove useful in prolonging survival, when a comprehensive therapeutic pathway including chemotherapy is scheduled. In conclusion, in presence of nodal metastases outside the loco-regional nodes, surgery may be considered for metastatic nodes in stations 13 and 16, in selected cases.

Robotic Training in General Surgery Residency: How Early Can We Begin?

Background: The increasing demand for robotics in general surgery has prompted academic institutions to train general surgery residents toward the acquisition of basic robotic skills. Our current robotic training curriculum begins in the PGY-3 year and is based on the use of surgical simulators in a risk-free environment, in which each resident must show proficiency prior to advancing to training on an animate model as PGY-4. Our unpublished data on the curriculum indicates that PGY-3s required additional remediation training on the robotic simulator, suggesting room for improvement in our teaching paradigm [8]. Because of resident duty hour restrictions, we could not provide remediation by simply increasing the number of training sessions.

Collagen-based biological glue after Appleby operation for advanced gastric cancer

Pancreatic fistula is a common complication of distal pancreatectomy; although various surgical procedures have been proposed, no clear advantage is evident for a single technique. We herein report the case of a 38-year-old patient affected by an advanced gastric carcinoma infiltrating the pancreas body, with extensive nodal metastases involving the celiac trunk, who underwent total gastrectomy with lymphadenectomy, distal pancreatectomy and resection en bloc of the celiac trunk (Appleby operation). At the end of the demolitive phase, the pancreatic stump and the aorta at the level of the celiac ligature were covered with a layer of Tachosil(®), a horse collagen sponge made with human coagulation factors (fibrinogen and thrombin). Presenting this case, we wish to highlight the possible sealing effect of this product and hypothesize a role in preventing pancreatic fistula and postoperative lymphorrhagia from extensive nodal dissection.

Operative technique in robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (RPD) at University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC): 17 steps standardized technique

BackgroundMinimally invasive pancreaticoduodenectomy (MIPD) was introduced in the attempt to improve the outcomes of the open approach. Laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) was first reported by Gagner and Pomp (Surg Endosc 8:408–410, 1994). Unfortunately, due to its complexity and technical demand, LPD never reached widespread popularity. Since it was first performed by P. C. Giulianotti in 2001, Robotic PD (RPD) has been gaining ground among surgeons. MIPD is included as a surgical option in the latest NCCN Guidelines. However, lack of surgical standardization, however, has limited the reproducibility of MIPD and made the acquisition of the technique by other surgeons difficult. We provide an accurate description of our standardized step-by-step RDP technique.MethodsWe took advantage of our 15-year long experience and > 150 cases performed to provide a step-by-step guidance of our RPD standardized technique. The description includes practical “tips and tricks” to facilitate the learning curve and assist with the teaching/evaluation process.Results17 surgical steps were identified as key components of the RPD procedure. The steps reflect the subdivision of the RPD into several parts which help to understand a strategy that takes into accounts specific anatomical landmarks and the demands of the robotic platform.ConclusionsStandardization is a key element of the learning curve of RPD. It can potentially provide consistent, reproducible results that can be more easily evaluated. Despite promising results, full acceptance of RPD as the ‘gold standard’ is still work in progress. Randomized-controlled trials with the application of a standardized technique are necessary to better define the role of RPD.

Small bowel transplantation in identical twins - a video vignette

Living-related small bowel transplantation (LRSBTx) is a relatively standardized procedure that not only represents a valid alternative to cadaveric bowel transplant in selected cases [1], but also demonstrates excellent results when performed in experienced centers. The availability of an identical twin as a donor, which allows avoidance of immunosuppressive therapy, is a major indication for this procedure. A 32-year-old African American male had ultra-short-bowel syndrome as a result of multiple gunshot wounds to the abdomen with subsequent mesenteric arterial and venous thrombosis requiring extensive bowel resection. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Snapshot in surgery: How do you approach this 12-year-old girl?

This case open questions about the dimensional limit for a laparoscopic treatment of a giant bezoar. A minimally invasive option should be considered every time a gastric obstruction is suspected, particularly for psychiatric patients, for whom a short hospital stay can be greatly beneficial.