Analysis of the Cost Effectiveness of Laparoscopic Pancreatoduodenectomy.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine if laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy (LPD) is a cost-effective alternative to open pancreatoduodenectomy (OPD). METHODS: Hospital cost data, discharge disposition, readmission rates, and readmission costs from periampullary cancer patient cohorts of LPD and OPD were compared. The surgical cohorts over a 40-month period were clinically similar, consisting of 52 and 50 patients in the LPD and OPD groups, respectively. RESULTS: The total operating room costs were higher in the LPD group as compared to the OPD group (median US$12,290 vs US$11,299; P = 0.05) due to increased costs for laparoscopic equipment and regional nerve blocks (P ≤ 0.0001). Although hospital length of stay was shorter in the LPD group (median 7 vs 8 days; P = 0.025), the average hospital cost was not significantly decreased compared to the OPD group (median $28,496 vs $28,623). Surgery-related readmission rates and associated costs did not differ between groups. Compared to OPD patients, significantly more LPD patients were discharged directly home rather than to other healthcare facilities (88% vs 72%; P = 0.047). CONCLUSION: For the index hospitalization, the cost of LPD is equivalent to OPD. Total episode-of-care costs may favor LPD via reduced post-hospital needs for skilled nursing and rehabilitation.

A systematic review of the role of periadventitial dissection of the superior mesenteric artery in affecting margin status after pancreatoduodenectomy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma continues to carry a poor prognosis. Of the controllable clinical variables known to affect outcome, margin status is paramount. Though the importance of a R0 resection is generally accepted, not all margins are easily managed. The superior mesenteric artery [SMA] in particular is the most challenging to clear. The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature with specific focus on the role of a SMA periadventitial dissection during PD and it's effect on margin status in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: The MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases were searched for abstracts that addressed the effect of margin status on survival and recurrence following pancreaticoduodenectomy [PD]. Quantitative analysis was performed. RESULTS: The overall incidence of a R1 resection ranged from 16% to 79%. The margin that was most often positive following PD was the SMA margin, which was positive in 15-45% of resected specimens. Most studies suggested that a positive margin was associated with decreased survival. No consistent definition of R0 resection was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Margin positivity in resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma is associated with poor survival. Inability to clear the SMA margin is the most common cause of incomplete resection. More complete and consistently reported data are needed to evaluate the potential effect of periadventitial SMA dissection on margin status, local recurrence, or survival.

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas, one manifestation of a more systemic disease?

BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated a high prevalence of extrapancreatic malignancies, and an association with autoimmune pancreatitis in patients with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN). We hypothesized that IPMNs were associated with an increase rate of systemic diseases. METHODS: From 1996 to 2013, a retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected database was performed and supplemented with electronic medical charts review. RESULTS: Two hundred twenty extrapancreatic malignancies were found in 185 patients (22%) compared with expected 5% in the general population. Colorectal, lung, and renal cell carcinoma had significant observed/expected ratios (P < .0001). One hundred ten synchronous autoimmune diseases were found in 96 patients (11%). Systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease showed statistically significant observed/expected ratios (P < .0001, .01, and <.0001, respectively). There was no impact of immunosuppressive treatment on the IPMN subtype and malignancy rate. CONCLUSIONS: IPMN are associated with surprisingly high rates of autoimmune diseases suggesting that IPMN might be 1 manifestation of a more systemic disease.

Pancreaticojejunostomy Stricture After Pancreatoduodenectomy: Outcomes After Operative Revision.

INTRODUCTION: The natural history of radiographic strictures of the pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) is difficult to characterize. The purpose of this study was to identify the indications for operative revision of PJ strictures after PD for benign and malignant disease and to evaluate its safety and clinical efficacy. METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients undergoing operative revision of PJ strictures following PD at a single academic institution over an 8-year period (2006-2014) was performed. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients underwent revision of a symptomatic radiographically detectable PJ stricture. The median time from PD to PJ stricture diagnosis was 46 months. The median increase in the main pancreatic duct diameter between the time of PD and PJ revision was 2 mm. The overall morbidity after PJ revision was 26 %. No postoperative mortality occurred. Twenty-one (78 %) patients experienced resolution of symptoms without recurrent acute pancreatitis after PJ revision during a median follow-up of 30 months. Durable symptom resolution was reported among 60 % of patients with chronic pancreatitis. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical revision of pancreaticojejunostomy strictures is technically safe and clinically effective for selected patients who experience recurrent acute pancreatitis after pancreatoduodenectomy for either benign or malignant disease.

Invasive, mixed-type intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm: superior prognosis compared to invasive main-duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm.

PURPOSE: It is unclear whether the duct involvement subtypes of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN), ie, main (MD), mixed (MT), and branch (BD), confer any survival advantage when invasive IPMN occurs. We hypothesized that invasive MT-IPMN was associated with a better prognosis than invasive MD-IPMN. METHODS: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was performed of patients who underwent resection for IPMN at a single academic institution from 1992 to 2014. Characterization of IPMN subtype was assessed on final operative pathology. Statistics included univariate analysis, Kaplan-Meier survival curves, and Cox regression for independent predictors of increased survival. RESULTS: Of 390 patients eligible for study, 74 had invasive IPMN (IPMC). Of these, 71 patients had complete data and were included in the analysis (17 MD-IPMC, 39 MT-IPMC, and 15 BD-IPMC). Median follow-up was 20 months (range, 2-174). MT-IPMC was associated with significantly greater overall survival (OS) (47 months) compared with MD-IPMC (12 months) (P = .049), but not with BD-IPMC (44 months) (P = .67). Multivariate Cox regression yielded a family history of pancreatic cancer, absence of jaundice, N0 status, negative margins, absence of lymphovascular invasion, and MT subtype as independent predictors of greater OS (P = .035, .015, .013, .036, .045, .043, respectively). No characteristic of IPMN (including MD diameter, solid component/mural nodule) was predictive of OS. CONCLUSION: MT-IPMC appeared to be associated with a greater OS compared with pure MD-IPMC. This begs the question of a different underlying biology of MT-IPMN and argues against classification of all main duct involved IPMN into a single category.

Local blockade of integrins in the temporomandibular joint region reduces Fos-positive neurons in trigeminal subnucleus caudalis of female rats produced by jaw movement.

This study assessed the influence of integrins on trigeminal brainstem neural activity evoked during jaw movement (JM). Limited range of motion and pain during jaw opening are common complaints of patients with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. JM (0.5 Hz, 30 min) was presented to ovariectomized (OvX) female rats given estrogen replacement and males under barbiturate anesthesia. Quantification of Fos-like immunoreactivity (Fos-LI) after JM served as an index of evoked neural activity. Rats were injected locally in the TMJ with either an active (GRGDS, 300 microM, 25 microl) or an inactive integrin antagonist (SDGRG) prior to JM. The effect of prior inflammation of the TMJ region was assessed in separate groups of rats by injecting bradykinin (10 microM, 25 microl) with or without integrin drugs prior to JM. Active integrin antagonist significantly reduced JM-evoked Fos-LI in superficial laminae at the trigeminal subnucleus caudalis/upper cervical cord (Vc/C2) junction in OvX compared to male rats independent of bradykinin pretreatment. Fos-LI produced in the dorsal paratrigeminal and trigeminal subnucleus interpolaris/caudalis (Vi/Vc) transition regions was not reduced by active integrin antagonist in males or OvX females. Active integrin antagonist did not affect Fos-LI produced after injection of bradykinin alone into the TMJ. These results suggest that RGD binding integrins contribute to JM-evoked neural activity at the Vc/C2 junction under naive and inflamed conditions in a sex-dependent manner.