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Background Bile leakage after subtotal cholecystectomy (SC) is clinically serious. To prevent such leakage, we developed a new surgical technique in which a free piece of omentum is plugged into the gallbladder stump (omentum plugging technique). We evaluated whether the omentum plugging technique prevents bile leakage after subtotal cholecystectomy. Methods Prospectively collected data of patients who had undergone subtotal cholecystectomy without cystic duct closure in the Department of Surgery of Kansai Medical University during the 12 years from January 2006 to March 2018 were reviewed retrospectively. The outcomes of patients who had undergone subtotal cholecystectomy with the omentum plugging technique (omentum plugging technique group) were compared with those of patients who had undergone subtotal cholecystectomy without the omentum plugging technique (Control group). The outcomes of interest were perioperative data and postoperative complications including bile leakage, necessity for interventions for complications, and duration of hospitalization. Results Fifty of 2,447 consecutive patients (2.0%) had undergone subtotal cholecystectomy. Of these 50 patients, 18 were treated with the omentum plugging technique (omentum plugging technique group) and 32 were treated without the omentum plugging technique (Control group). One of 18 patients in the omentum plugging technique group and 14 of 32 in the Control group developed postoperative bile leakage. One postoperative interventional treatment for complications was performed in the omentum plugging technique group and 12 in the Control group. The duration of postoperative hospitalization was less in the omentum plugging technique group. Conclusion The omentum plugging technique appears to be an effective operative technique for preventing postoperative bile leakage in selected situations when a “difficult gallbladder” is encountered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of the present study was to reappraise the clinical value of peritoneal washing cytology (CY) in 984 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients who underwent margin-negative resection. Methods: In a 2001-2011 database from seven high-volume surgical institutions in Japan, 69 patients (7 %) had positive CY (CY+ group) indicative of M1 disease and 915 patients had negative CY (CY− group). Clinicopathological data and survival were compared between groups. Results: Significant correlations between CY+ and high CA19-9 level, pancreatic body and tail cancer, lymph node metastasis, and a lower frequency of R0 resection were observed. Overall survival (OS) of CY+ patients was significantly worse than that of CY− patients (median survival time [MST], 16 vs. 25 months; 3-year OS rate, 6 vs. 37 %; p < 0.001). CY+ patients had a significantly higher rate of post-operative peritoneal carcinomatosis than CY− patients (48 vs. 21 %; p < 0.001). Administration of adjuvant chemotherapy did not provide a favorable survival outcome to CY+ patients. The current study showed that patients with M1 disease had acceptable MST after margin-negative resection and a high incidence of peritoneal carcinomatosis within 3 years after surgery, resulting in decreased long-term survival. The development of a new strategy to control peritoneal carcinomatosis when surgical resection is performed in such patients is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare short-term surgical results in pancreatic cancer patients who underwent surgical resection after neo-adjuvant chemoradiation therapy (NACRT) using S-1. Methods: The study population comprised 77 patients with pancreatic cancer between 2006 and 2010. Out of 34 patients who underwent staging laparoscopy between 2008 and 2010, 31 patients without occult distant organ metastasis underwent chemoradiation and of whom 30 underwent pancreatectomy (NACRT group). Of the other 43 patients, 36 underwent surgical resection in 2006-2008, followed by adjuvant therapy (adjuvant group). The primary endpoint was frequency of pathological curative resection (R0). Results: The new regimen of NACRT was feasible and safe. Twenty-eight of 30 (93%) patients in the NACRT group had R0 resection, which was significantly higher than in the adjuvant group (21 of 36 patients, 58%, p = 0.005). The number and extent of metastatic lymph nodes in the NACRT group (1 (0-25), N0/1; 18 of 38) was significantly lower than in the adjuvant group (2 (0-19), N0/1; 23 of 30), p = 0.0363). The frequency of intractable ascites in the NACRT group (eight of 30) was significantly higher than in the adjuvant group (two of 36, p = 0.035). Conclusion: Neo-adjuvant chemoradiation therapy using S-1 followed by pancreatectomy can improve the rate of pathologically curative resection and reduces the number and extent of lymph node metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic actinomycosis (HA) is a rare infection mimicking a malignancy. HA after total pancreatectomy for a pancreatic tumor has not been reported. A 70-year-old woman with a history of gastrectomy and sigmoidectomy for benign lesions, underwent a total pancreatectomy for a non-invasive, intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma (IPMC). She required partial resection of the transverse colon due to insufficient blood flow and had an anastomotic failure. Four months later, she developed a fever and effusion from the upper abdominal midline incision. No bacteria were cultured from the effusion. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography demonstrated an 80-mm iso-vascular liver mass. A slightly high-signal intensity on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging was demonstrated. Positron emission tomography (PET) showed a standardized uptake value of 11.9 at the liver mass. The percutaneous liver biopsy did not establish a diagnosis. Because a malignancy could not be ruled out, an exploratory laparotomy was performed. A tissue sample revealed aggregates of branched filamentous microorganisms; actinomycosis was diagnosed. Oral amoxicillin for 4 months resolved the mass. This patient had several causative factors for HA, including multiple surgical procedures involving the gastrointestinal tract, reconstruction of the biliary tract, anastomotic failure of the transverse colon, and diabetes mellitus following total pancreatectomy. Based on the past treatment history for IPMC and PET findings mimicking a malignancy, a laparotomy was performed to biopsy the lesion. Typically, penicillin is recommended for >6 months. A rare case of HA mimicking a malignancy after a total pancreatectomy for IPMC is presented. • Hepatic actinomycosis (HA) is a rare infection mimicking a malignancy. • A total pancreatectomy and gastrointestinal surgeries were the causable factors. • Typically, penicillin therapy is recommended for over 6 months. • Surgical exploration was important avoiding unnecessary hepatectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We compared the efficacy of modified 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin (mFOLFIRINOX) with that of gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel (GnP) for locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). Patients with untreated LAPC were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive mFOLFIRINOX or GnP. One-year overall survival (OS) was the primary endpoint. The major secondary end-points included progression-free survival (PFS), response rate (RR), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) response, and adverse events. The sample size was 124 patients to select a more effective regimen with a minimum probability of 0.85 and to examine the null hypothesis of the 1-year OS <53%. Of the 126 patients enrolled from 29 institutions, 125 were deemed eligible. The 1-year OS was 77.4% (95% CI, 64.9–86.0) and 82.5% (95% CI, 70.7–89.9) in the mFOLFIRINOX and GnP arms, respectively. The median PFS was 11.2 (95% CI, 9.9–15.9) and 9.4 months (95% CI, 7.4–12.8) in the mFOLFIRINOX and GnP arms, respectively. The RR and CA19-9 response rate were 30.9% (95% CI, 19.1–44.8) and 57.1% (95% CI, 41.0–72.3) and 42.1% (95% CI 29.1–55.9) and 85.0% (95% CI, 70.2–94.3) in the mFOLFIRINOX and GnP arms, respectively. Grade 3–4 diarrhoea and anorexia were predominant in the mFOLFIRINOX arm. GnP was considered the candidate for a subsequent phase III trial because of its better RR, CA19-9 response, and mild gastrointestinal toxicities. Both regimens displayed higher efficacy in the 1-year survival than in the historical data of gemcitabine monotherapy. • Pancreatic cancer is one of the most fatal cancers worldwide. • We compared the efficacy of mFOLFIRINOX with that of GnP in LAPC. • mFOLFIRINOX and GnP achieved similar efficacy. • Both regimens showed better 1-year survival than gemcitabine monotherapy. • GnP demonstrated better DCR and CA19-9 response and mild gastrointestinal toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This retrospective multicenter study aimed to evaluate the risk of postpancreatectomy hemorrhage (PPH) in patients receiving antithrombotic agents (ATAs). PPH is the most severe complication after pancreatectomy. However, there is little known about the strength of the association between ATA use, PPH, and other clinical outcomes.Study Design: Between 2007 and 2016, 1,297 patients underwent pancreatectomy at 2 surgical centers. ATA use included aspirin, clopidogrel, ticlopidine, warfarin, direct oral anticoagulants, and intravenous unfractionated heparin. The ATA group was composed of 144 patients who were taking ATAs before surgery.Results: A total of 35 patients developed PPH. The patients in the ATA group showed higher frequency (8.3% vs 2.0%, p < 0.001) of PPH compared with the control group (n = 1,153). In multivariate analysis, ATA use was an independent adverse risk factor for PPH (odds ratio [OR] 3.58, 95% CI 1.29-9.91, p = 0.014). Stratification by preoperative ATA therapy revealed a significant risk of PPH Grade C in patients receiving combined AT therapy. The median onset of late hemorrhage (>24 hours post-surgery) in the ATA group was later than in the control group (17.5 vs 8.5 days, p = 0.032), and the incidence tended to be higher in patients who restarted ATAs postoperatively.Conclusions: History of ATA use is a significant risk factor for PPH, and postoperative resumption of ATAs appears to be associated with an increased risk of PPH. Patients receiving combined antithrombotic therapy may be at particularly high risk for PPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]