Carcinoma of the pancreas with portal vein involvement--our experience with a modified technique of resection.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Up to 40% of the patients with pancreatic carcinoma are not fit for curative resection due to the locally advanced nature of the disease in the form of vascular involvement. In recent years a more aggressive approach of vascular resection with pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) has resulted in the increase in resectability rate and survival in this group of patients. The most important determinant of survival in these patients is negative resection margins. The aim of the present study is to present our experience of vascular resection using a modified technique, in patients with pancreatic cancer.

METHODOLOGY

This is a retrospective study of 48 patients who underwent portal vein/superior mesenteric vein (PV/SMV) resection along with PD using the modified technique of resection, during 1982-2004. The principle modification is the initial extensive retroperitoneal dissection for the assessment of the extent of tumor involvement of the superior mesenteric vessels and division of retroperitoneal margin before the division of the pancreas. All patients also underwent extended lymphadenectomy.

RESULTS

The subtotal PD was done in 26 and total PD in 22 patients, with resection of the PV/SMV in all of them. The end-to-end anastomosis was possible after adequate mobilization of the PV and SMV in 40 patients. In 4 patients reconstruction was able to be done with the use of a graft. The portal vein occlusion time was 8-15 minutes. Histopathological examination showed negative margins in all the resected specimens. Postoperative complications occurred in 16.66% with reoperation rate of 8.33%, and mortality of 6.25%. After a mean follow-up of 110 months, mean survival was 40 months with the range of 18-250 months. The five-year and 10-year survival was 18% and 10% respectively. The venous patency rate was 100% at three years.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, PD with en bloc resection of the PV/SMV confluence can safely be done with morbidity and mortality similar to that of standard PD. The survival advantage is directly related to the attainment of negative resection margins. The modified technique is a useful way of doing vascular resection with the least amount of bowel congestion and securing negative resection margins.