Background
Total pancreatectomy (TP) is rarely performed due to concerns for endocrine and exocrine insufficiency and decreased quality of life (QoL). Renewed interest is seen in recent years, but ...large cohort studies remain scarce. This study was designed to evaluate endocrine and exocrine insufficiency after TP and its impact on QoL.
Methods
Adult patients (age ≥ 18 years) who underwent TP between 2008 and 2017 at Karolinska University Hospital with at least 6 months follow-up were included. Endocrine and exocrine insufficiency and QoL were assessed using validated questionnaires (EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQ-PAN26, PAID20, and DTSQs). Both pre- and postoperative questionnaires were available in a subgroup.
Results
Of 145 TP, 60 patients were eligible of whom 53 (88.3%) with a median of 21 months (interquartile range IQR 13–54) follow-up were included. Symptomatic hypoglycemia occurred in 90.6% (48/53) of patients, and 25% (12/48) experienced ≥ 1 episodes of loss of consciousness. The PAID20 revealed emotional burnout in seven patients (13.2%), whereas a high satisfaction score of diabetes treatment (median 28, IQR 24–32) was measured according to the DTSQs. Overall, 27 patients (50.9%) reported to have steatorrhea during a median of 2 days (IQR 0–4) in the past week. Overall QoL was reduced compared with a general population (66.7% vs. 76.4%; Δ9.7%) but did not differ with preoperative outcomes (
n
= 39, 66.7%; IQR 41.7–83.3 vs. 66.7%, IQR 50.0–83.3;
P
= 0.553) according to the EORTC QLQ-C30.
Conclusions
Although the impact of endocrine and exocrine insufficiency on QoL after TP seems acceptable, the management of both insufficiencies should be further improved.
Background
The impact of high-volume care in total pancreatectomy (TP) is barely explored since annual numbers are mostly low. This study evaluated surgical outcomes after TP over time in a ...high-volume center.
Methods
All adult patients (age ≥ 18 years) who underwent an elective single-stage TP at Karolinska University Hospital were retrospectively analysed (2008–2017). High volume was defined as > 20 TPs/year.
Results
Overall, 145 patients after TP were included, including 86 (59.3%) extended resections. Major morbidity was 34.5% (50/145) and 90-day mortality 5.5% (8/145). The relative use of TP within all pancreatectomies increased from 5.4% (63/1175) in 2008–2015 to 17.3% (82/473) in 2016–2017 (
p
< 0.001). Over time, TP was more often performed to achieve radicality (
n
= 11, 17.5% to
n
= 31, 37.8%;
p
= 0.007). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, an annual TP-volume of > 20 was associated with reduced major morbidity (odds ratio OR = 0.225, 95% confidence interval CI, 0.097–0.521;
p
< 0.001). In the high-volume years (2016–2017), major morbidity (
n
= 31, 49.2% to
n
= 19, 23.2%;
p
= 0.001) and relaparotomy rate (
n
= 13, 20.6% to
n
= 5, 6.1%;
p
= 0.009) improved. Improvements occurred mainly after extended TP, including lower major morbidity (
n
= 22, 57.9% to
n
= 12, 25.0%;
p
= 0.002) and in-hospital mortality (
n
= 3, 7.9% to
n
= 0, 0%;
p
= 0.082).
Conclusions
In a single, high-volume center study, an increase in surgical volume of TP was associated with improved perioperative outcomes, especially for extended resections.
Resections for intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) have increased last decades. Overall survival (OS) for conventional pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is well known but OS for ...invasive IPMN (inv-IPMN) is not as conclusive. This study aims to elucidate potential differences in clinicopathology and OS between these tumor types and to investigate if the raised number of resections have affected outcome.
Consecutive patients ≥18 years of age resected for inv-IPMN and PDAC at Karolinska University Hospital between 2009 and 2018 were included. Clinicopathological variables were analyzed in multivariable regression models. Outcome was assessed calculating two-year OS, estimating OS using the Kaplan-Meier model and comparing survival functions with log-rank test.
513 patients were included, 122 with inv-IPMN and 391 with PDAC. During the study period both the proportion resected inv-IPMN and two-year OS, irrespective of tumor type, increased (2.5%–45%; p < 0.001 and 44%–57%; p = 0.005 respectively). In Kaplan-Meier survival analysis inv-IPMN had more favorable median OS (mOS) compared to PDAC (33.6 months vs 19.3 months, p = 0.001). However, in multivariable Cox Regression analysis, tumor type was not a predictor for death, but so were resection period, tumor subtype and N-stage (all p < 0.001).
In this large single center observational cohort study, inv-IPMN seemed to have favorable survival outcome compared to PDAC, but after adjusting for predictors for death this benefit vanished. The combination of a pronounced increase in resected inv-IPMN and a concurrent hazard abatement for death within 2 years during the study period proved to be a principal factor.
Clinically relevant (CR) postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) after distal pancreatectomy (DP) are common. Endoscopic treatment (ET) has only scarcely been explored. The aim of this study was to ...evaluate risk factors for CR POPF after DP and the efficacy of ET in adjunct to standard therapy.
Consecutive patients without previous pancreatic surgery who underwent DP between 2011 and 2020 were evaluated, analyzing risk factors for CR POPF. The choice and performance of ET, main pancreatic duct (MPD) stenting, was not standardized. Healing time and complications after ET were registered.
406 patients underwent DP, CR POPF occurred in 29.6%. ET was performed in 17 patients 27 days (median) after index surgery. Risk for CR POPF was increased in ASA-PS 1-2 patients, MPD ≤ 3 mm, procedure time ≥ 3 h, and CRP ≥ 180 on postoperative day 3. POPF resolved with standard treatment after 32 days and 59 days in the ET group (p < 0.001). There was one mortality in the ET-group (not procedure related). Mild post-ERCP pancreatitis occurred in three patients.
CR POPF is common after DP. Long operating time, a narrow MPD, low ASA score, and high postoperative CRP were risk factors for CR POPF. ET was not beneficial but proper evaluation was not possible due to few patients and non-standardized treatment. Complications after ET appeared mild.
Background: Patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) have an increased risk of developing pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We present data on PDAC in one of the most extensive European ...single-centre cohort studies of patients with CP. Methods: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of patients with CP was performed. Aetiology of CP was determined according to the M-ANNHEIM classification system and only patients with definite CP > 18 years at data analysis were included. The final dataset included 581 patients with definite CP diagnosed between 2003 and 2018. Results: At CP diagnosis, there were 371 (63.9%) males and 210 (36.1%) females (median age 57 years, range 2–86). During 3423 person-years of observation, six pancreatic cancers were diagnosed (0.2% year). The mean time between diagnosis of CP and the occurrence of PDAC was 5.0 years (range 2.7–8.6). None of the cancer patients had a family history of PDAC. Diabetes mellitus (DM) was present in five of six (83.3%) patients with PDAC: in three patients before and in two after CP diagnosis. Clinical/laboratory signs of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) were present in five of six (83.3%) patients with PDAC: in two at diagnosis of CP and in three after diagnosis. The mean survival time was 4 months after the diagnosis of PDAC (range 0.5–13). PDAC occurred significantly more often (p < 0.001) in two groups of patients without previous acute pancreatitis (AP): 2 of 20 patients (10%) with low body mass index (BMI) and PEI and in 3 of 10 (30%) patients with high BMI and DM at diagnosis of CP. Conclusions: Patients with CP have a high risk of developing PDAC, although risk is low in absolute terms. Our data suggest the possibility of defining subgroups of patients with a particularly elevated risk of PDAC. Such a possibility would open a path to personalised decision making on initiation of PDAC surveillance of patients with no previous episode of AP, (i) with low BMI and PEI, or (ii) elevated BMI and DM.
Surgery for chronic pancreatitis (CP) is considered as a last resort treatment. The present study aims to determine the short- and medium-term outcomes of surgical treatment for CP with a comparison ...between duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection (DPPHR) and pancreatoduodenectomy (PD). The trends in surgical procedures were also examined. This was a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent surgery for CP between 2000 and 2019 at the Karolinska University Hospital. One hundred and sixty-two patients were included. Surgery performed included drainage procedures (
= 2), DPPHR (
= 35), resections (
= 114, of these PD in
= 65) and other procedures (
= 11). Morbidity occurred in 17%, and the 90-day mortality was 1%. Complete or partial pain relief was achieved in 65% of patients. No significant difference in morbidity was observed between the DPPHR and PD groups: 17% vs. 20% (
= 0.728). Pain relief did not differ between the groups (62% for DPPHR vs. 73% for PD,
= 0.142). The frequency of performed DPPHR decreased, whereas the rate of PD remained unaltered. Surgical treatment for CP is safe and effective. DPPHR and PD are comparable regarding post-operative morbidity and are equally effective in achieving pain relief. Trends over time revealed PD as more commonly performed compared to DPPHR.
Introduction: Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a long-standing progressive inflammation of the pancreas, which can lead to a variety of vascular complications, such as splanchnic venous thrombosis (VT) ...and arterial pseudoaneurysm (PA). There is a lack of studies on vascular complications in Scandinavian countries. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of medical records of patients with CP identified from the Karolinska University Hospital database between 2003 and 2018. A total of 394 patients with definite CP were included in the study. Results: There were 33 patients with vascular complications, with a median age of 62 (IQR 55–72) years. The cumulative incidence of vascular events was 3.2% at 5 years. Thirty patients had isolated VT, whereas three patients had PA (7.6% and 0.8%, respectively). Isolated splenic vein thrombosis was most common (53.3%), followed by a combination with other splanchnic veins. PA was found in the splenic artery in two patients and in the left gastric artery in one patient. Varices were present in three (10%) patients; variceal bleeding was not recorded. All patients had asymptomatic splanchnic VT, most with chronic VT with developed collaterals (83.3% had abdominal collateral vessels). Nearly two-thirds of patients with VT (63.3%) received no treatment, whereas 11 (36.6%) were treated with anticoagulants. Pseudocysts and alcoholic etiology of CP are risk factors for vascular complications. Conclusions: The cumulative incidence of vascular complications was 3.2% at 5 years. Splanchnic VT is more common than PA. Patients were asymptomatic with no variceal bleeding, explained by well-developed collateral vessels and strong study inclusion criteria.
Arterial lactate measurements were recently suggested as an early predictor of clinically relevant post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF). This needed to be evaluated in the subgroup of major ...hepatectomies only.
This observational cohort study included consecutive elective major hepatectomies at Karolinska University Hospital from 2010 to 2018. Clinical risk factors for PHLF, perioperative arterial lactate measurements and routine lab values were included in uni- and multivariable regression analysis. Receiver operating characteristics and risk cut-offs were calculated.
In total, 649 patients constituted the study cohort, of which 92 developed PHLF grade B/C according to the International Study Group of Liver Surgery (ISGLS). Lactate reached significantly higher intra- and postoperative levels in PHLF grades B and C compared to grade A or no liver failure (all P < 0.002). Lactate on postoperative day (POD) 1 was superior to earlier measurement time points in predicting PHLF B/C (AUC 0.75), but was outperformed by both clinical risk factors (AUC 0.81, P = 0.031) and bilirubin POD1 (AUC 0.83, P = 0.013). A multivariable logistic regression model including clinical risk factors and bilirubin POD1 had the highest AUC of 0.87 (P = 0.006), with 56.6% sensitivity and 94.7% specificity for PHLF grade B/C (cut-off ≥0.32). The model identified 46.7% of patients with 90-day mortality and had an equally good discriminatory potential for mortality as the established ISGLS criteria for PHLF grade B/C but could be applied already on POD1.
The potential of lactate to predict PHLF following major hepatectomy was inferior to a prediction model consisting of clinical risk factors and bilirubin on first post-operative day.
Para-aortic lymph node (PALN) metastases in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) correlates with poor prognosis. The role of PALN in invasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (inv-IPMN) ...has not been well explored. The present study investigated the rate of metastatic PALN, lymph node ratio (LNR) and the overall nodal (N) status as prognostic factors in PDAC and inv-IPMN.
This consecutive single-center series included patients with PDAC or inv-IPMN in the pancreatic head who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy or total pancreatectomy, including PALN resection between 2009 and 2018. Median overall survival (mOS) and impact of clinicopathological factors, including PALN status on survival, were evaluated.
403 patients were included, 314 had PDAC and 89 inv-IPMN. PALN were metastatic in 16% of PDAC and 17% of inv-IPMN. N0 status was present in 6% of the patients with PDAC and 16% of inv-IPMN patients (p = 0.007). LNR >15% was more common in PDAC (52%) than in inv-IPMN (34%) (p = 0.004). mOS was 12.7 months in the presence of PALN metastases and 22.7 months without (p < 0.0001). Age >70 years, CA19-9 >200 U/mL, PDAC and N2 status were significantly associated with worse survival in a multivariable analysis. PALN status and LNR were not independent prognostic factors. In N2 status mOS was similar regardless the presence of PALN metastases.
The frequency of PALN metastases was similar in PDAC and inv-IPMN. Although PALN positive status entailed a shorter mOS, it was not an independent risk factor for death, and did not influence survival in N2-staged disease. The M1-status for PALN positivity may need reconsideration.
•The frequency of PALN metastases was similar in PDAC and inv-IPMN.•The mOS was shorter in PALN positive status but was not an independent risk factor.•PALN positive status did not influence survival in N2-stage disease.•The M1-status for PALN positivity may need reconsideration.