Comparison of Early Results of Surgical Treatment in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer

Abstract

Pancreatic tumours are a serious medical and social issue. Patients come to the doctor too late, when the disease is well advanced. The most frequently applied method of surgical treatment is pancreatoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure). The most frequently used technique of pancreatoduodenectomy is the Child-Waugh method. The procedure can be performed in a classic way or as modified by Traverso (with preservation of the pylorus). Between August 2008 and June 2011, in the Department of Thoracic, General and Oncologic Surgery of Medical University in Łódź, a total of 79 patients with pancreatic tumours were hospitalized. In 61, pancreatoduodenectomy was performed. The patients were divided into two groups, depending on the diagnosis and the procedures performed: group 1 comprised patients in whom the pylorus was resected (n = 43); group 2 comprised patients in whom the pylorus was preserved (Traverso-Longmire procedure; n = 18). Mean duration of surgery was about 3 hours and 50 minutes in both groups. Mean duration of hospitalization after the procedure was 15.6 days in group 1 and 12.2 days in group 2 (p < 0.05). Early complications (within 30 days of the procedure) were observed in 33.2% of patients in both groups. Blood transfusion was necessary in 21% of patients in group 1 and 28% of patients in group 2 (p>0.05). There are specific indications for each method of surgical treatment, however, it seems that both techniques of pancreatic resection can be recommended as standard surgical treatment, and the number of complications after both procedures is similar.