A novel approach to the intraoperative assessment of the uncinate margin of the pancreaticoduodenectomy specimen.
BACKGROUND
Currently, there is no consensus regarding the pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) margins examined intraoperatively or the technical protocol for frozen section examination. The aim of this work was to summarize our experience regarding the intraoperative examination of the uncinate margin and to compare it with the published literature.


METHODS
Our local protocol for the intraoperative assessment of the uncinate margin of the PD specimen is described in this article. A PubMed search limited to English language publications using terms along the theme of pancreaticoduodenectomy and margin was performed. Retrieved articles were categorized according to whether they discussed frozen section margin examination.


RESULTS
Ten articles published between 1981 and 2005 were retrieved which discussed the intraoperative examination of PD specimens. Of the 10 articles, 5 discussed the intraoperative consultation for diagnostic purposes only, 2 discussed the consultation for both diagnostic purposes and assessment of margins, and 3 discussed intraoperative assessment of margins only. Of the total of five articles that discussed the intraoperative assessment of margins, none detailed the technical protocol for examining the uncinate margin.


CONCLUSIONS
Our proposed protocol for the intraoperative assessment of the uncinate margin of PD specimens allows for its accurate evaluation and has not been described previously in the English literature.
Khalifa
Mahmoud A
MA
Department of Pathology, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Center, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Mahmoud.Khalifa@sunnybrook.ca
Maksymov
Vlad
V
Rowsell
Corwyn H
CH
Hanna
Sherif
S