Middle pancreatectomy: indications, short- and long-term operative outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the indications, perioperative, and long-term outcomes of a large cohort of patients who underwent middle pancreatectomy (MP).


BACKGROUND
MP is a parenchyma-sparing technique aimed to reduce the risk of postoperative exocrine and endocrine insufficiency. Reported outcomes after MP are conflicting.


METHODS
: Patients who underwent MP between 1990 and 2005 at the Massachusetts General Hospital and at the University of Verona were identified. The outcomes after MP were compared with a control group that underwent extended left pancreatectomy (ELP) for neoplasms in the mid pancreas.


RESULTS
A total of 100 patients underwent MP. The most common indications were neuroendocrine neoplasms, serous cystadenoma, and branch-duct IPMNs. Comparison with 45 ELP showed that intraoperative blood loss and transfusions were significantly higher for ELP. The 2 groups showed no differences in overall morbidity, abdominal complications, overall pancreatic fistula, and grade B/C pancreatic fistula rate (17% in MP and 13% in ELP), but the mean hospital-stay was longer for MP patients (P = 0.005). Mortality was zero. In the MP group, 5 patients affected by IPMNs had positive resection margins and 3 had recurrence. After a median follow-up of 54 months, incidence of new endocrine and exocrine insufficiency were significantly higher in the ELP group (4% vs. 38%, P = 0.0001 and 5% vs. 15.6%, P = 0.039, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
MP is a safe and effective procedure for treatment of benign and low-grade malignant neoplasms of the mid pancreas and is associated with a low risk of development of exocrine and endocrine insufficiency. MP should be avoided in patients affected by main-duct IPMN.
Crippa
Stefano
S
Department of Surgery, Policlinico GB Rossi, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Bassi
Claudio
C
Warshaw
Andrew L
AL
Falconi
Massimo
M
Partelli
Stefano
S
Thayer
Sarah P
SP
Pederzoli
Paolo
P
Fernández-del Castillo
Carlos
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008404:Massachusetts / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome