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Background: Over the past decades, health care services for pancreatic surgery were reorganized. Volume norms were applied with the result that only a limited number of expert centers perform pancreatic surgery. As a result of this centralization of pancreatic surgery, the patient journey of patients with pancreatic tumors has become multi-institutional. To illustrate, patients are referred to a center of expertise for pancreatic surgery whereas other parts of pancreatic care, such as chemotherapy, take place in local hospitals. This fragmentation of health care services could affect continuity of care (COC). The aim of this study was to assess COC perceived by patients in a pancreatic care network and investigate correlations with patient-and care-related characteristics., Methods: This is a pilot study in which patients with (pre) malignant pancreatic tumors discussed in a multidisciplinary tumor board in a Dutch tertiary hospital were asked to participate. Patients were asked to fill out the Nijmegen Continuity of Care-questionnaire (NCQ) (5-point Likert scale). Additionally, their patient-and care-related data were retrieved from medical records. Correlations of NCQ score and patient-and care-related characteristics were calculated with Spearman's correlation coefficient., Results: In total, 44 patients were included (92% response rate). Pancreatic cancer was the predominant diagnosis (32%). Forty percent received a repetition of diagnostic investigations in the tertiary hospital. Mean scores for personal continuity were 3.55 ± 0.74 for GP, 3.29 ± 0.91 for the specialist and 3.43 ± 0.65 for collaboration between GPs and specialists. Overall COC was scored with a mean 3.38 ± 0.72. No significant correlations were observed between NCQ score and certain patient-or care-related characteristics., Conclusion: Continuity of care perceived by patients with pancreatic tumors was scored as moderate. This outcome supports the need to improve continuity of care within multi-institutional pancreatic care networks.

Medullary pancreatic carcinoma (MPC) is a rare histological variant of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Because of its rarity, data on the molecular background of MPC are limited. Previous studies have shown that a subset of MPCs is microsatellite instable due to mismatch repair deficiency. Here, we present a unique case of a female patient in her 60s who is a long-term survivor after surgery for pancreatic cancer. The patient had a microsatellite stable MPC with a somatic mutation of the polymerase epsilon gene (POLE). Both microsatellite instable and POLE-mutated cancers are usually associated with high tumor mutational burden and antigen load, resulting in a prominent antitumor immune response and overall better survival. The current case illustrates that, in addition to mismatch repair deficiency, MPC can develop because of a somatic POLE mutation, resulting in a tumor with a high tumor mutational burden and leading to a better prognosis compared with conventional PDAC. This new finding may have important implications in the management of patients with MPC and calls for further studies on the role of POLE in PDAC.

Background: Pancreatic resection is a major abdominal operation with 50% risk of postoperative complications. A common complication is pancreatic fistula, which may have severe clinical consequences such as postoperative bleeding, organ failure and death. The objective of this study is to investigate whether implementation of an algorithm for early detection and minimally invasive management of pancreatic fistula may improve outcomes after pancreatic resection., Methods: This is a nationwide stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized, superiority trial, designed in adherence to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines. During a period of 22 months, all Dutch centers performing pancreatic surgery will cross over in a randomized order from current practice to best practice according to the algorithm. This evidence-based and consensus-based algorithm will provide daily multilevel advice on the management of patients after pancreatic resection (i.e. indication for abdominal imaging, antibiotic treatment, percutaneous drainage and removal of abdominal drains). The algorithm is designed to aid early detection and minimally invasive step-up management of postoperative pancreatic fistula. Outcomes of current practice will be compared with outcomes after implementation of the algorithm. The primary outcome is a composite of major complications (i.e. post-pancreatectomy bleeding, new-onset organ failure and death) and will be measured in a sample size of at least 1600 patients undergoing pancreatic resection. Secondary endpoints include the individual components of the primary endpoint and other clinical outcomes, healthcare resource utilization and costs analysis. Follow up will be up to 90 days after pancreatic resection., Discussion: It is hypothesized that a structured nationwide implementation of a dedicated algorithm for early detection and minimally invasive step-up management of postoperative pancreatic fistula will reduce the risk of major complications and death after pancreatic resection, as compared to current practice., Trial Registration: Netherlands Trial Register: NL 6671. Registered on 16 December 2017.

Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared.

Objective: To determine trends over time regarding inclusion of post-operative cardiac surgery intensive care unit (ICU) patients in a clinical pathway (CP), and the association with clinical outcome., Design: Retrospective cohort study., Setting: ICU of an academic hospital., Participants: All cardiac surgery patients operated between 2007 and 2015., Measures and Results: A total of 7553 patients were operated. Three patient groups were identified: patients treated according to CP (n = 6567), patients excluded from the CP within the first 48 h (n = 633) and patients never included in CP (n = 353). Patients treated according to CP increased significantly over time from 74% to 95% and the median Log EuroSCORE (predicted mortality score) in this group increased significantly over time (P = 0.016). In-hospital length of stay (LOS) decreased in all groups, but significantly in CP group (P < 0.001). Overall, the in-hospital, and 1-year mortality decreased from 1.5 to 1.1% and 3.7 to 2.9%, respectively (both P < 0.05). Patients with a Log EuroSCORE >10 were more likely excluded from CP (P < 0.001), but, if included in CP, these patients had a significantly shorter Intensive Care stay and in-hospital stay compared to excluded patients with a Log EuroSCORE >10 (both P < 0.001)., Conclusions: The use of a CP for all post-operative cardiac surgery patients in the ICU is sustainable. While more complex patients were treated according to the CP, clinical outcome improved in the CP group., (© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press in association with the International Society for Quality in Health Care. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Purpose: To explore the value of gadolinium-enhanced MRI combined with diffusion-weighted MRI (Gd-enhanced MRI with DWI) in addition to contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) for detection of synchronous liver metastases for potentially resectable pancreatic cancer., Methods: By means of a retrospective cohort study we included patients with potentially resectable pancreatic cancer on CECT, who underwent Gd-enhanced MRI with DWI between January 2012 and December 2016. A single observer evaluated MRI and CT and was blinded to imaging, pathology, and surgery reports. Liver lesions were scored in both modalities, using a 3-point scale: 1-benign, 2-indeterminate, 3- malignant (i.e., metastasis). The primary outcome parameters were the presence of liver metastases on Gd-enhanced MRI with DWI and the sensitivity of Gd-enhanced MRI with DWI for synchronous liver metastases., Results: We included 66 patients (42 men, 24 women; median age 65 years, range 36-82 years). In 19 patients, liver metastases were present, which were confirmed by histopathology (n = 12), 18 FDG-PET (n = 6), or surgical inspection (n = 1). Gd-enhanced MRI with DWI showed metastases in 16/19 patients (24%), which resulted in a sensitivity of 84% (95% CI 60-97%). Contrast-enhanced MRI showed 156 and DWI 397 metastases (p = 0.051), and 339 were particularly small (< 5 mm)., Conclusions: In this study, Gd-enhanced MRI with DWI detected synchronous liver metastases in 24% of patients with potentially resectable pancreatic cancer on CECT with a sensitivity of 84%. Diffusion-weighted MRI showed a greater number of metastases than any other sequence, particularly small metastases (< 5 mm).

Background: In the mandatory nationwide Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Audit, rates of major complications and Failure to Rescue (FTR) after pancreatoduodenectomy between low- and high-mortality hospitals are compared, and independent predictors for FTR investigated., Methods: Patients undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy in 2014 and 2015 in The Netherlands were included. Hospitals were divided into quartiles based on mortality rates. The rate of major complications (Clavien-Dindo ≥3) and death after a major complication (FTR) were compared between these quartiles. Independent predictors for FTR were identified by multivariable logistic regression analysis., Results: Out of 1.342 patients, 391 (29%) developed a major complication and in-hospital mortality was 4.2%. FTR occurred in 56 (14.3%) patients. Mortality was 0.9% in the first hospital quartile (4 hospitals, 327 patients) and 8.1% in the fourth quartile (5 hospitals, 310 patients). The rate of major complications increased by 40% (25.7% vs 35.2%) between the first and fourth hospital quartile, whereas the FTR rate increased by 560% (3.6% vs 22.9%). Independent predictors of FTR were male sex (OR = 2.1, 95%CI 1.2-3.9), age >75 years (OR = 4.3, 1.8-10.2), BMI ≥30 (OR = 2.9, 1.3-6.6), histopathological diagnosis of periampullary cancer (OR = 2.0, 1.1-3.7), and hospital volume <30 (OR = 3.9, 1.6-9.6)., Conclusions: Variations in mortality between hospitals after pancreatoduodenectomy were explained mainly by differences in FTR, rather than the incidence of major complications., (Copyright © 2018 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Transperitoneal rectal stump resection is a complicated procedure with risk of inadvertent bowel, vascular and nerve injury. This study analysed the feasibility and safety of the use of transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) to excise rectal stumps that would otherwise require a combined transabdominal and perineal approach., Methods: Rectal stump resection was performed by a transanal approach using TEM. Stumps were removed by complete rectal wall resection and intersphincteric resection of the anus, leaving the mesorectum in place., Results: The study included nine patients with a rectal stump ranging in length from 8 to 20 cm after previous surgery for inflammatory bowel disease (6), Lynch syndrome (1), collagenous colitis (1) or anastomotic leakage (1). The median duration of operation was 161 (range 107-239) min. The median postoperative length of hospital stay was 5 (range 2-71) days. One patient required an additional small-incision laparotomy to remove a stump extending up to the promontory and another developed a postoperative abscess. There were no perioperative complications., Conclusion: TEM appeared to be a useful and safe approach for close rectal dissection and removal of a rectal stump while avoiding an abdominal approach for pelvic dissection., (Copyright © 2012 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Early post-operative local or systemic administration of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is under investigation as a means to improve outcome after resection of intestinal malignancies. It is therefore quite important to delineate accurately its potentially negative effects on anastomotic repair. Five groups (n = 24) of rats underwent resection and anastomosis of both ileum and colon: a control group and four experimental groups receiving daily 5-FU, starting immediately after operation or after 1, 2 or 3 days. Within each group, the drug (or saline) was delivered either intraperitoneally (n = 12) or intravenously (n = 12). Animals were killed 7 days after operation and healing was assessed by measurement of anastomotic bursting pressure, breaking strength and hydroxyproline content. In all cases, 5-FU treatment from the day of operation or from day 1 significantly (P<0.025) and severely suppressed wound strength; concomitantly, the anastomotic hydroxyproline content was reduced. Depending on the location of the anastomosis and the route of 5-FU administration, even a period of 3 days between operation and first dosage seemed insufficient to prevent weakening of the anastomosis. The effects of intravenous administration, though qualitatively similar, were quantitatively less dramatic than those observed after intraperitoneal delivery. Post-operative treatment with 5-FU, if started within the first 3 days after operation, is detrimental to anastomotic strength and may compromise anastomotic integrity.

Twenty children fathered by 15 patients treated with platinum-based combination chemotherapy for disseminated testicular carcinoma were examined and found to have no evidence of congenital malformations. The results indicate no reason for advising against pregnancies in this group of young couples.