Lipomatous pancreas facilitates late onset of renal cell carcinoma metastases.

BACKGROUND: Late metastasizing into pancreatic tissue is a special hallmark of renal cell carcinomas (RCC). A very low prevalence leads to scarce data about therapy, prognosis and spreading pathways. The aim of the study was to analyze whether a high fat content in the pancreas facilitates RCC metastases formation. A model for density measurement of pancreatic tissue has been developed and evaluated. Pancreatic fat content was measured comparing Hounsfield units (HU) of CT scans. METHODS: In a consecutive single centre retrospective database of 3600 patients with pancreatic resections, only 12 patients (0.3%) cases of RCC metastases in the pancreas were found. HU were measured in 3 pancreatic regions: head, body and tail in patients' CT scans. HU values were compared to a control population and results aligned with recent literature. RESULTS: We revealed a prevalence of pancreatic metastases of RCC in 0.3% of cases. The formation of RCC in the pancreas occurred within 14 ± 5.6 years after initial diagnosis of RCC. 83.3% of the patients were alive after a follow-up period of up to 48 months. Clinical data analysis revealed an affinity for metastatic formation to lipomatous pancreas. This could be objectivized by HU analysis in CT scans. CONCLUSION: Pancreatic metastases occur late after the first diagnosis of renal carcinoma and show an affinity for lipomatous pancreatic tissues. Due to its rarity in occurrence, multicentric studies are highly recommended to further analyze this correlation between fatty pancreas and RCC.

Diagnostic double strike in the emergency room - two cases of complete pancreatic ruptures due to bicycle handlebar injuries on two consecutive days.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic injuries are rare in cases of blunt abdominal trauma and therefore easily misdiagnosed at time of hospital admission. They are associated with a significantly elevated morbidity and lethality. Bicycle handlebar injuries are the most common cause of pancreatic trauma in children and adolescents. CASE PRESENTATION: We report two cases of a 23-year-old Caucasian woman and a 15-year-old Caucasian boy who presented to our clinic with a similar history of a bicycle accident on 2 consecutive days. Both suffered from a fall from a bicycle with bicycle handlebar injury 4 and 6 days prior to admission in our clinic. Emergency distal pancreatectomies were performed in both cases. CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic injuries must be highly suspected in bicycle handlebar injuries, even if amylase/lipase levels or ultrasound findings seem unremarkable. The best initial strategies are early computed tomography and a quick referral to a level 1 trauma center. Distal pancreatectomy is the treatment of choice in cases of complete rupture of the pancreatic body.

[Distal Pancreatectomy with Autologous Fibrin Sealant - Implementation of an Established Concept of Tissue Sealing in Pancreatic Surgery]. / Die Pankreaslinksresektion mit autologem Fibrinkleber ­ Anwendung eines etablierten Versiegelungskonzepts in der Pankreaschirurgie.

Background: Postoperative pancreatic fistulas (POPF) remain a major concern after distal pancreatectomy. Irrespective of the technique to close the pancreatic remnant, pancreatic fistulas will occur in approximately 30 % of patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy. For the first time ever, autologous fibrin sealant (Vivostat®) was used to additionally seal the pancreatic remnant after a distal pancreatectomy. The aim was to analyse whether this changes the postoperative outcome. Patients/Material and Methods: In 2015, a technical case series was performed in 15 patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy. The pancreatic remnant was additionally sealed with autologous fibrin sealant (Vivostat®). Results: A postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) occurred in 5/15 patients (33 %). One patient had a POPF grade A (1/15, 6.7 %), whereas a POPF grade B occurred in 4/15 patients (26.7 %). 75 % (3/4) of the patients with a POPF grade B were sufficiently treated with antibiotics, whereas a CT-guided percutaneous drainage had to be placed only in one case. Conclusion: Autologous fibrin sealant is simple to apply and seems to be well tolerated. However, it does not seem to avoid the development of postoperative pancreatic fistulas after distal pancreatectomy.