Postoperative morbidity and long-term survival after pancreaticoduodenectomy with superior mesenterico-portal vein resection

The role of superior mesenteric-portal vein resection (SM-PVR) for vein invasion or tumor adherence during pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) is still under debate. We investigated morbidity, mortality, and long-term survival in patients who underwent PD with or without SM-PVR. Between July 1994 and December 2004, 222 PD (78% pylorus preserving, 19% Whipple, and 3% total pancreatectomy) were performed for malignant disease. Fifty-three patients (24%) had PD with SM-PVR. Sixty-eight percent of the venous resections were performed as wedge excisions and 32% as segmental resections. Long-term survival was analyzed in 165 patients with pancreatic (n = 110), ampullary (n = 33), or distal bile (n = 22) duct cancer using univariate (log-rank) and multivariate (Cox regression) methods. In patients undergoing PD with SM-PVR and conclusive histologic examination of the resected vein specimen (n = 42), 60% had true tumor involvement of the venous wall, whereas 40% had no proven tumor infiltration. In the complete study group, negative resection margins were obtained in 69% of patients with SM-PVR and in 79% of patients without SM-PVR (P = 0.09). Median duration of surgery was 500 minutes (SM-PVR) versus 440 minutes (no SM-PVR; P < 0.001). Volume of intraoperatively transfused blood was 600 ml (median) in both groups. Postoperative surgical complications/mortality occurred in 23%/3.8% (SM-PVR) versus 35%/4.1% (no SM-PVR); P = 0.09/0.9. Analysis of long-term survival in all 165 patients included 41 with SM-PVR. Five-year survival rates were 15% in cancer of the pancreatic head, 22% in ampullary cancer, and 24% in distal bile duct cancer (P = 0.02). Long-term survival was not influenced by the need for SM-PVR in any of the different tumor entities. In multivariate analysis, a positive resection margin (P < 0.01, relative risk [RR]: 1.8, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-2.7), a histologically undifferentiated tumor (P = 0.01, RR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1-2.5), and the tumor entity (P < 0.01) were significant predictors of survival. Univariate survival analysis of the 110 patients with cancer of the pancreatic head revealed that a histologically undifferentiated tumor (P = 0.05) and positive resection margins (P = 0.02) were associated with a poorer survival. In multivariate analysis, the resection margin (P = 0.02, RR: 5.1, 95% CI: 1.1-2.8) and a histologically undifferentiated tumor (P = 0.05, RR: 3.8, 95% CI: 1.0-2.5) significantly influenced survival. After PD, perioperative morbidity and long-term survival in patients with SM-PVR were similar to those of patients without vein resection. In case of tumor adherence or infiltration, combined resection of the pancreatic head and the vein should always be considered in the absence of other contraindications for resection.