Importance of main pancreatic duct dilatation in IPMN undergoing surveillance.

BACKGROUND: The association between risk of pancreatic cancer and a dilated main pancreatic duct (MPD) in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) is debated. The aim of this study was to assess the role of MPD size in predicting pancreatic cancer in resected IPMNs and those kept under surveillance. METHODS: All patients with IPMN referred to the Pancreas Institute, University of Verona Hospital Trust, from 2006 to 2016 were included. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of malignancy detected at surgery or during follow-up. RESULTS: The final cohort consisted of 1688 patients with a median follow-up of 60 months. Main pancreatic duct dilatation was associated with other features of malignancy in both the resected and surveillance groups. In patients who underwent resection, only a MPD of at least 10 mm was an independent predictor of malignancy. In patients kept under surveillance, MPD dilatation was not associated with malignancy. Fifteen of 71 patients (21 per cent) with malignancy in the resection cohort had a dilated MPD alone, whereas only one of 30 (3 per cent) under surveillance with MPD dilatation alone developed malignancy. Patients with a dilated MPD and other worrisome features had an increased 5-year cumulative incidence of malignancy compared with those with a non-dilated duct (11 versus 1·2 per cent; P < 0·001); however, the risk of malignancy was not significantly increased in patients with a dilated MPD alone (4 versus 1·2 per cent; P = 0·448). CONCLUSION: In patients under surveillance, a dilated MPD alone was not associated with an increased incidence of malignancy in IPMN.

[Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in the newborn infant and the child with intractable respiratory failure]. / Ossigenazione extracorporea a membrana (ECMO) nel neonato e nel bambino con insufficienza respiratoria intrattabile.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has become a nearly standard treatment for neonates with refractory hypoxemic respiratory failure due to various disease. Even though in the non-neonatal age the experience is less extensive, an increased widespread interest on the possible applications in children with severe life-threatening respiratory or cardiovascular insufficiency is well documented in the literature. General contraindications include presence of active bleeding, underlying lethal disease, congenital malformations, or severe brain damage. Whilst in the neonatal population common entry criteria have been widely accepted, the identification of precise parameters capable to predict mortality and thus indicating an ECMO support in older patients are still lacking. At present, nonetheless, more than 10.000 newborns and 1.000 children with severe respiratory insufficiency at high mortality risk have received an ECMO treatment, with a survival rate of more than 80% and 50%, respectively. The initial results of our ECMO program for both neonatal and pediatric patients with refractory respiratory failure are encouraging, both in terms of mortality and morbidity, and they will be briefly discussed.