Two Cases of Laparoscopic Pancreaticoduodenectomy in the Sophisticated and Complicated Situations (with Video)

  Objective   To explore the individualized surgical strategies and surgical methods which can greatly improve the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy in difficult and complicated situations, such as pancreatic head malignant tumors invade the major vascular and chronic pancreatitis with severe abdominal adhesions.

  Methods   Case 1: A 65-year-old man with jaundice was diagnosed preoperatively with a pancreatic acinus process with superior mesenteric vein (SMV) invasion. In order to ensure R0 resection, the patient underwent laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy combined with SMV resection and reconstruction, taking the way of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA)-first approach. The length of SMV removed was 2 cm (see the Video 1 in Supplemental Contents, http://ykxb.scu.edu.cn/article/doi/10.12182/20200760501). The portal vein (PV)-SMV occlusion time was 26 min, the reconstruction time was 17 min. The duration of the surgery was 340 min, with 200 mL of blood loss and no transfusion. Case 2: A 47-year-old man with abdominal pain was admitted with preoperative diagnosis of pancreatic head mass with obstructive jaundice. His past medical history included small bowel resection and bowel anastomosis for abdominal trauma, open Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy for acute pancreatitis and obstructive jaundice. In the operation, we used ultracision harmonic scalpel, hook electrode, laparoscopic scissors, and other means to separate the adhesion of different parts of the abdominal, adjusted traditional modular surgical procedure for laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy with Easy First strategy to perform surgical resection (see the Video 2 in Supplemental Contents, http://ykxb.scu.edu.cn/article/doi/10.12182/20200760501). Emergencies such as mass bleeding, used Two Chief Surgeons Model to control bleeding and suture the bleeding site. The duration of the surgery was 400 min, with 500 mL of blood loss and no transfusion.

  Results   Case 1: The patient’s postoperative course was uneventful, with a hospital stay of 9 d. Histology confirmed the diagnosis of a 3.6 cm×2.4 cm×1.8 cm pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tumor (R0 and lymph nodes 1/26, AJCC 8th T₂N₁M₀, stage ⅡA). The removed SMV layer was invased and the cut edges were negative. The patient underwent 6 cycles of GS (gemcitabine+tegio) chemotherapy. The patient was asymptomatic 1 year later, with no tumor recurrence and no pancreatic insufficiency. Case 2: The patient’s postoperative course was uneventful, with a hospital stay of 11 d. Histology confirmed the diagnosis of a 6 cm pancreatic inflammatory mass. The patient was asymptomatic 20 months later, with no recurrence of acute pancreatitis again.

  Conclusion   With different surgical methods and individualized surgical strategies, laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy in difficult and complicated situations is safe and feasible in the experienced pancreas minimally invasive center.