Middle pancreatectomy with pancreaticogastrostomy: a technique, operative outcomes, and long-term pancreatic function.
OBJECTIVE
Middle pancreatectomy is infrequently performed in selected patients. The rationale is to preserve pancreatic function. This study evaluates a technique, operative outcomes, and long-term exocrine and endocrine pancreatic function of the middle pancreatectomy procedure.


METHODS
Nineteen patients who underwent middle pancreatectomy between 1996 and 2008 were reviewed. Indications included eight intraductal papillary-mucinous neoplasms, five endocrine tumors, one serous and two mucinous cystadenomas, and three other benign lesions. Reconstruction of the distal pancreatic remnant was performed with pancreaticogastrostomy using the duct-to-mucosa method in 16 patients and with Roux-en-Y end-to-end pancreaticojejunostomy in 3 patients.


RESULTS
Median operative time was 215 min. Perioperative mortality was nil. Morbidity was 53%, including 9 (47%) pancreatic fistulas. One patient with hemorrhage, complicated by a pancreatic fistula was successfully treated by endovascular embolization. No patients required postsurgical reoperation. Only one patient had clinical exocrine insufficiency requiring pancreatic enzyme supplementation. None developed postresection new-onset insulin-dependent diabetes.


CONCLUSIONS
Middle pancreatectomy with pancreaticogastrostomy is feasible and reasonable technique. Although the incidence of pancreatic fistula formation may still be higher compared to conventional resection, long-term exocrine, and endocrine pancreatic function may be preserved. Thus, careful patient selection and experienced pancreatic surgeons in high-volume centers are of great importance.
Sudo
Takeshi
T
Department of Surgery, Division of Clinical Medical Science, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan. tsudo@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
Murakami
Yoshiaki
Y
Uemura
Kenichiro
K
Hayashidani
Yasuo
Y
Hashimoto
Yasushi
Y
Ohge
Hiroki
H
Sueda
Taijiro
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005774:Gastrostomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D010185:Pancreatic Fistula / Q000209:etiology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology