Portal vein resection for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Although isolated portal vein involvement has classically been a contraindication for resection, portal vein resection can be performed safely with a low perioperative mortality rate. Importantly, overall survival is similar between patients undergoing pancreatectomy with portal vein resection and those undergoing standard pancreatic resection. Suspected isolated portal vein involvement, therefore, frequently does not preclude operability and, by itself, should not be a contraindication for pancreatic resection.