BACKGROUND: Advanced laparoscopy for pancreatic cancer surgery should include laparoscopic ultrasound (LUS), in order to accurately evaluate resectability and rule out the presence of undetected metastases and/or vascular infiltration. LUS should be done as a preliminary step whenever pre-operative imaging casts doubts on resectability. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We hereby report our experience of 18 consecutive patients, aged 43-76, coming to our attention during a six months period (Jan-Jun 2013), with a diagnosis of pancreas head or body cancer. RESULTS: LUS allowed to rule out undetected metastases or mesenteric vessels infiltration in 11 patients (61.1%), who were submitted, as previously scheduled, to radical duodeno-pancreatectomy (9 cases) and spleno-caudal pancreatectomy (2 cases). Among the remaining patients, three had been correctly evaluated as non resectable radically at pre-operative work out, and confirmed at LUS, while LUS detected non resectable disease in further 4 patients (22.2%), who underwent palliative procedures. In 2 patients of this group liver micro-metastases were found, while 2 were excluded because of mesenteric vessels infiltration. CONCLUSIONS: LUS provided a higher level of diagnostic accuracy, allowing in our experience to exclude 4 patients from radical surgery (22.2%). The evaluation of surgical resectability is an issue of crucial importance to decide surgical strategy in pancreas tumor surgery. In our opinion LUS should be considered a mandatory step in laparoscopic approach to pancreatic tumors, to better define disease staging and evaluate resectability.
BACKGROUND: Advanced laparoscopy for pancreatic cancer surgery should include laparoscopic ultrasound (LUS), in order to accurately evaluate resectability and rule out the presence of undetected metastases and/or vascular infiltration. LUS should be done as a preliminary step whenever pre-operative imaging casts doubts on resectability. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We hereby report our experience of 18 consecutive patients, aged 43-76, coming to our attention during a six months period (Jan-Jun 2013), with a diagnosis of pancreas head or body cancer. RESULTS: LUS allowed to rule out undetected metastases or mesenteric vessels infiltration in 11 patients (61.1%), who were submitted, as previously scheduled, to radical duodeno-pancreatectomy (9 cases) and spleno-caudal pancreatectomy (2 cases). Among the remaining patients, three had been correctly evaluated as non resectable radically at pre-operative work out, and confirmed at LUS, while LUS detected non resectable disease in further 4 patients (22.2%), who underwent palliative procedures. In 2 patients of this group liver micro-metastases were found, while 2 were excluded because of mesenteric vessels infiltration. CONCLUSIONS: LUS provided a higher level of diagnostic accuracy, allowing in our experience to exclude 4 patients from radical surgery (22.2%). The evaluation of surgical resectability is an issue of crucial importance to decide surgical strategy in pancreas tumor surgery. In our opinion LUS should be considered a mandatory step in laparoscopic approach to pancreatic tumors, to better define disease staging and evaluate resectability.
Authors: Eliza E Long; Jacques Van Dam; Stefanie Weinstein; Brooke Jeffrey; Terry Desser; Jeffrey A Norton Journal: Surg Oncol Date: 2005-08 Impact factor: 3.279
Authors: Gijs A Looijen; Bobby K Pranger; Koert P de Jong; Jan Pieter Pennings; Vincent E de Meijer; Joris I Erdmann Journal: J Gastrointest Surg Date: 2018-03-12 Impact factor: 3.452