title: Pancreatic head tumors with portal vein involvement: an alternative surgical approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  One of the determining factors for the unresectability of pancreatic head tumors is the involvement of the portal venous system. Recent reports show that the resection of tumors with portal vein involvement has similar results to lesions with same stage without portal vein invasion. The aim of this study is to present a technique that allows the resection of portal vein segments without the use of grafts and with a shorter period of intraoperative venous occlusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen patients with pancreatic head tumors and portal vein involvement were submitted to pancreaticoduodenectomy according to this technique. The main feature of the technique is starting the pancreatic dissection at the posterior aspect of the head of the pancreas. The superior mesenteric artery is completely dissected from the pancreatic tissues leaving the section of the pancreas and the resection of the portal vein to the last step.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Portal vein flow occlusion did not exceed 10 minutes. There were no major postoperative complications or mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This maneuver allows an easier resection of the mobilized portal vein with a shorter period of venous clamping and reconstruction without the need of venous graft.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, University of São Paulo Medical School, Brazil.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Penteado
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jukemura
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Herman
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bacchella
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Montagnini
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016577:Pancreaticoduodenectomy / Q000379:methods*; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome