Systematic review of outcome of synchronous portal-superior mesenteric vein resection during pancreatectomy for cancer.

BACKGROUND: Tumour clearance during pancreatectomy may be facilitated by resection of the portal-superior mesenteric vein, but this is associated with increased perioperative risk. There is no consensus about which patients benefit from portal-superior mesenteric vein resection.
METHODS: A systematic appraisal was carried out of the literature on portal-superior mesenteric vein resection during pancreatectomy to identify recurrent themes to guide management. A computerized search of the Medline and Embase databases found 52 non-duplicated studies providing relevant data in 1646 patients. Pooled data were examined for information on outcome categories relating to operation, complications, histopathology and overall outcome.
RESULTS: The median (range) number of patients with portal-superior mesenteric vein resection per cohort was 23 (4-172). Median operating time was 513 (168-1740) min and blood loss 1750 (300-26000) ml. Postoperative morbidity ranged from 9 to 78 per cent with a median per cohort of 42 per cent. There were 73 perioperative deaths (5.9 per cent of 1235 for whom mortality data were provided). Median survival was 13 months, and 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 50, 16 and 7 per cent respectively. Specimen histopathology confirmed positive nodes in 67.4 per cent.
CONCLUSIONS: This is the largest collective report to date on portal-superior mesenteric vein resection in pancreatectomy. The high rate of nodal metastases and low 5-year survival rates suggest that by the time of tumour involvement of the portal vein cure is unlikely, even with radical resection. Copyright (c) 2006 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.