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Pasireotide was recently suggested for the prevention of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) after pancreatic surgery. However, its efficacy remains to be controversially dicussed. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of pasireotide for preventing POPF after pancreatic surgery. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and The Cochrane Library to identify clinical studies investigating the efficacy of pasireotide after pancreatic surgery. The identified studies were critically appraised, and meta-analyses were then performed. The study was performed in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and was registered at the PROSPERO study database (CRD42018112334). Four studies with a total of 919 patients were included: 418 with pasireotide treatment and 501 controls. Meta-analysis showed that pasireotide could reduce neither clinically relevant POPF rate (OR = 0.78; 95% CI, 0.49–1.24; P = 0.29) nor overall POPF rate (OR = 0.94; 95% CI, 0.60–1.48; P = 0.80) after pancreatic resections. There were no significant differences in delayed gastric emptying, mortality, and postoperative hospital stay after pancreatic surgery. However, pasireotide reduces readmission after pancreatic surgery (OR = 0.61; 95% CI, 0.44–0.85; P = 0.004). Subgroup analyses revealed that prophylactic use of pasireotide did not reduce the incidence of clinically relevant POPF after pancreaticoduodenectomy or distal pancreatectomy compared with the control. Based on the available evidence, use of pasireotide may not reduce clinically relevant POPF as well as it may not improve postoperative course substantially after pancreatic surgery. Further investigator-initiated high-quality trials are needed.

Central pancreatectomy (CP) has been applied for treating benign and low-grade malignant tumors in pancreatic neck, but studies regarding CP for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are quite limited. We aimed to investigate the role of central pancreatectomy in the treatment of PDAC in the neck of the pancreas. Patients who underwent CP at our hospital between 2009 and 2016 were identified. Patients treated by distal pancreatectomy (DP) were matched according to the tumor size, location, and staging. The surgical and survival outcomes were compared between the CP and DP groups. Nine patients had CP. Five (56%) had postoperative complications and three (33%) had clinically significant (grade B + C) fistula. No significant difference was found between the CP and DP groups for the rate of overall morbidity, pancreatic fistula, reoperation, and readmission. Tumor size was smaller in the CP group compared to the DP group. The mortality of both groups was zero. The median postoperative survival was similar between the two groups (20.4 months for CP vs 19.4 months for DP, P = 0.842). CP is safe for patients with small PDAC at the neck of the pancreas. Considering the good preservation of pancreatic endocrine and exocrine functions, CP could be considered as an alternative procedure for single small PDAC in pancreatic neck.

Background Pathology is the gold standard for diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Preoperative endoscopic ultrasound-guided biopsy is an expensive procedure that is not routine in developing countries, hence a cheap, reliable alternative is required. Aim To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a new technique of intraoperative biopsy from pancreatic head mass. Methods Patients undergoing intraoperative transluminal core-biopsy (TLCB) for pancreatic head mass from January 2000 to June 2015 were included in this study. Following Kocher's maneuver, a biopsy was taken from the mass through the duodenum transluminally, using a commercial 16G automatic core-biopsy needle. Multiple tissue specimens were obtained for intraoperative frozen section examination. Depending on the pathological results, a decision was taken to either perform pancreaticoduodenectomy, duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection, bypass surgery, or to just terminate the operation. The malignancy status of the lesion was confirmed by postoperative pathological examination and/or long-term follow-up of the patients. Results A total of 525 patients were included. Intraoperative pathological reports revealed 436 malignant cases and 89 cases without evidence of malignancy. The sensitivity, specificity, false positive rate, and false negative rate were 97.7%, 100%, 0%, and 2.3%, respectively. Complications occurred in 2 patients. Conclusion TLCB is a quick, safe, effective, and accurate method for intraoperative diagnosis method in patients with pancreatic head mass; it can provide reliable evidence for surgical decision-making.

Introduction Few studies have compared patency rates of the different methods of venous reconstruction (VR) during a pancreatectomy. This study aimed to evaluate the patency rates and the clinical impact of various reconstruction methods. Methods For the meta-analysis, databases were systematically searched to identify studies reporting the outcomes of patients who underwent PVR/SMVR. For the retrospective study, clinical data were retrospectively analyzed from patients who underwent a pancreatectomy and VR between Feb. 2009 and Oct. 2015. Patency was assessed by CT and/or ultrasound. Results For the meta-analysis, the long-term patency rates of the primary repair group and the autologous graft group were significantly higher than that of the synthetic graft group. For the retrospective study, the reconstruction consisted of primary repair in 62 cases (89.8%) and synthetic grafting in 7 cases (10.1%). Synthetic grafting was more likely to cause acute thrombosis compared with primary repair for PVR/SMVR (85.7% versus 16.7%). Acute thrombosis was associated with decreased median survival (12 versus 6 months) and increased hazard of death. Late thrombosis and stenosis were not associated with survival or serious clinical impact. Median survival for the primary repair group and the synthetic grafting group was 12 and 7 months, respectively. Conclusion Primary repair following PVR/SMVR is preferred and can be achieved in most situations. Stenosis should be noted when with risk factors (long segmental and tension), but it produced little clinical impact. Synthetic grafting was associated with a higher thrombosis rate. Acute thrombosis is associated with increased mortality and decreased survival.

The animal model of common bile duct ligation is very toxic; therefore, the aim of this study was to establish a new model of obstructive jaundice in rats with partial common bile duct obstruction. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a sham operation or partial ligation of bile duct procedure. Serum biochemistry, liver histology, and expression of bile salt transporters were examined after surgery. Serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, and bile acids were significantly increased in the partial bile duct ligation group 3 days after surgery. However, these changes spontaneously normalized within 14 days after surgery in the partial bile duct ligation group compared with the sham group. Bile infarcts, ductular reaction, and abundant hepatocyte turnover were detected exclusively in the partial bile duct ligation group on postoperative day 3. However, these changes dramatically reversed 14 days after surgery. Bile salt transporter expression was significantly decreased at day 3 and gradually recovered in the following 2 weeks. In conclusion, the current rat model of obstructive cholestasis is reversible, representing the clinical characteristics of partial biliary obstruction, and may be used to investigate the effects of various therapeutic strategies on reversible acute cholestasis.

Background Patients with potentially resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are frequently found to be unresectable on exploration due to small distant metastasis. This study was to investigate predictors of small distant metastasis in patients with potentially resectable PDAC. Methods Patients who underwent surgical exploration for potentially resectable PDAC from 2013 to 2014 were reviewed retrospectively and divided into two groups according to whether distant metastases were encountered on exploration. Then, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify predictors of distant metastasis. A scoring system to predict distant metastasis of PDAC on exploration was constructed based on the regression coefficient of a multivariate logistic regression model. Results A total of 235 patients were included in this study. Mean age of the study population was 61.7 ± 10.4 years old. Upon exploration, distant metastases were found intraoperatively in 62 (26.4%) patients, while the remaining 173 were free of distant metastases. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified that age ≤ 62 years old (p

Hepatic infarcts or abscesses occur after hepatic artery interruption. We explored the mechanisms of hepatic deprivation-induced acute liver injury and determine whether partial portal vein arterialization attenuated this injury in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent either complete hepatic arterial deprivation or partial portal vein arterialization, or both. Hepatic ischemia was evaluated using biochemical analysis, light microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Hepatic ATP levels, the expression of hypoxia- and inflammation-associated genes and proteins, and the expression of bile transporter genes were assessed. Complete dearterialization of the liver induced acute liver injury, as evidenced by the histological changes, significantly increased serum biochemical markers, decreased ATP content, increased expression of hypoxia- and inflammation-associated genes and proteins, and decreased expression of bile transporter genes. These detrimental changes were extenuated but not fully reversed by partial portal vein arterialization, which also attenuated ductular reaction and fibrosis in completely dearterialized rat livers. Collectively, complete hepatic deprivation causes severe liver injury, including bile infarcts and biloma formation. Partial portal vein arterialization seems to protect against acute ischemia-hypoxia-induced liver injury.

Background/objectives We evaluated the diagnoses and surgical management of solid pseudopapillary tumors of the pancreas (SPTP) in a single center setting. Methods Demographic details, clinical presentations, imaging features, surgical strategies, and pathological findings of 97 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for pathologically confirmed SPTP between 2008 and 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. Results A total of 97 patients with SPTP accounted for 2.15% of total pancreatic surgeries (N = 4508). The mean age at diagnosis was 31.6 ± 13.92 years (range: 7–83 years), and males:females were 85:12. Chief complaints were abdominal pain or discomfort (n = 50). The mean transverse tumor diameter was 53.2 ± 2.76 mm (range: 14–170 mm). Tumors were localized to the pancreatic head (38.1%; 37/97), neck (12.4%; 12/97), body and tail (49.5%; 48/97). There were no significant differences in age of onset, presenting symptoms, and sites between males and females. A significant difference was found in the maximum diameter of SPTP across different age groups. Partial pancreatectomy was performed for patient with tumor ≥ 5 cm, and enucleation was performed when tumor was smaller than 5 cm. Pancreatic fistula was the main complication. Immunohistochemical markers for endocrine, exocrine and epithelial factors were used for a final diagnosis. During a median follow-up of 54 months (range: 7–121 months), 84 patients were alive without evidence of recurrence, and 13 patients were lost to follow-up. Conclusion SPTP surgical resection is a safe procedure with low morbidity and mortality, which is also effective even in the presence of invasiveness and metastases. Accurate initial diagnoses and follow up are essential.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text, Rationale: Portal annular pancreas is a rare anatomic variation, where the uncinated process of the pancreas connects with the dorsal pancreas and the pancreas tissue encases the portal vein (PV), superior mesenteric vein (SMV) or splenic vein (SV). Malignancies are quite uncommon in the patients, who have an annular pancreas especially portal annular pancreas. Ectopic common hepatic artery and absence of the celiac trunk (CT) are the other infrequent abnormalities. Patient concerns: A 74-year-old man suffered from upper abdominal and back pain. Diagnoses and Interventions: Contrast enhanced computed tomography indicated a low-density mass in the body of the pancreas. Pathological report showed adenocarcinoma of the body of pancreas after radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS). Outcomes: In the operation, we found the superior vein and portal vein was surrounded by the pancreatic tissue. The left gastric artery and splenic artery originated respectively from abdominal aorta, and celiac trunk was not viewed. In addition, the common hepatic artery was a branch from the superior mesenteric artery. Lessons: In general, this is a novel clinical case of pancreatic carcinoma happening in the portal annular pancreas which was accompanied with aberrant hepatic artery and absence of the celiac trunk at the same time. Confronted with the pancreatic neoplasms, the possibility of coexistent annular pancreas and arterial variations should be considered.

Background Esophageal cancer is the eighth most common cancer and sixth leading cause of cancer associated death worldwide. Besides environmental risk factors, genetic factors might play an important role in the esophageal cancer carcinogenesis. Methods: We conducted a hospital based case–control study to evaluate the genetic susceptibility of functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the microRNAs on the development of esophageal cancer. A total of 380 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cases and 380 controls were recruited for this study. The miR-196a2 rs11614913 T > C, miR-146a rs2910164 C > G, miR-499 rs3746444 T > C, miR-26a-1 rs7372209 C > T and miR-27a rs895819 T > C genotypes were determined using a custom-by-design 48-Plex SNPscan™ Kit and matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Results MiR-196a2 rs11614913 T > C polymorphism was associated with borderline statistically decreased risk of ESCC. In the recessive model, when the miR-196a2 rs11614913 TT/TC genotypes were used as the reference group, the CC homozygote genotype was associated with a borderline statistically decreased risk for ESCC (adjusted OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.50–1.03, p = 0.070). In stratification analyses, a significantly decreased risk of ESCC associated with the miR-196a2 rs11614913 T > C polymorphism was evident among women patients and patients who never smoking or drinking. Conclusions These findings indicated that functional polymorphism miR-196a2 rs11614913 T > C might contribute to decreased ESCC risk among women patients and patients who never smoking or drinking. However, our results were obtained with a limited sample size. Future larger studies with other ethnic populations and tissue-specific biological characterization are required to confirm current findings.

of stay was 5.2 days. Results: Pancreatic fistula was seen in a total of 16 (11.8%) patients including Grade A, B, and C in 9 (6.6%), 2 (1.5%), and 5 (3.7%). 90-Day minor and major morbidity was seen in 32 (23%) and 19 (13.7%) patients respectively. There were no mortalities. Discussion: Division of the pancreas during DP using a gradual stepwise compression technique as described above results in a very low clinically significant PF rate (5.2%). This correlated to low morbidity with minimal recovery time for this patient group and is a very reliable and simple method of closure of the pancreatic remnant during open or laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy.

Pancreatic cancer is a disease with an extremely poor prognosis. The acquisition of invasion properties in pancreatic cancer is accompanied by the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 6 (CEACAM6) is emerging as an important determinant of the malignant phenotype in a range of cancers, including pancreatic cancer. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the potential involvement of CEACAM6 in the invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer cells via EMT regulation. The results of our study showed a positive association between CEACAM6 expression and poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer, differentiation and lymph node metastasis. Elevated levels of CEACAM6 in pancreatic cancer cells promoted EMT, migration and invasion in vitro and metastasis in animal models, whereas shRNA-mediated CEACAM6 knockdown had the opposite effect. Furthermore, we demonstrated that miR-29a/b/c specific for CEACAM6 could regulate its expression at the post-transcriptional level. Collectively, our findings identified CEACAM6, which is regulated by miR-29a/b/c, as an important positive regulator of EMT in pancreatic cancer offering an explanation for how elevated levels of CEACAM6 are likely to contribute to the highly metastatic phenotype of pancreatic cancer.