Hepatoid carcinoma (HC) is a rare type of malignant tumor that shared similar features of morphology and immunohistochemistry with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Pancreatic HC exists as either pure or mixed type. Mixed pancreatic HC is extremely rare, with only a few cases reported in the literature to date. Because of the rarity of mixed pancreatic HC, its clinical features including incidence, characteristics, and prognosis remain unclear. We herein report a case of a 49-year-old man who was diagnosed with mixed pancreatic HC with neuroendocrine differentiation and was treated with pancreaticoduodenectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy. We also review the existing case reports in literature. A 49-year-old man was admitted to our hospital after a chronic abdominal pain in the upper right quadrant. Abdominal ultrasound revealed only one low-density retroperitoneal mass measured at 20 × 48mm in size in the pancreatic-duodenal junction, whereas contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed three lymphatic neoplasms measured at 28 × 22 × 30 mm, 27 × 33 × 38 mm and 22 × 35 × 48 mm in size in the retroperitoneal pancreatic-duodenal junction. Ultrasound-guided tumor biopsy was performed. Pathological reading of tumor biopsy suspected of Paraganglioma/pheochromocytoma. Laparotomic retroperitoneal tumoral resection and lymphadenectomy was then performed. Histological reading was lymphatic metastasis of primary pancreatic hepatocellular carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation, which were immunohistochemically positive for CKAE1/AE3, Hepatocyte paraffin 1, Chromogranin. After three weeks of the first surgery, the patient was assigned with Positron Emission Tomography - Computed Tomography (PET-CT) before adjuvant chemotherapy, revealing a low-density high-metabolism mass, 26 × 28 mm in size within the parenchyma of pancreatic head. Laparotomic pancreaticoduodenectomy and standard lymphadenectomy was performed to resect one mass, which revealed the same immunohistology features with the first mass. The patient was followed up with FOLFIRINOX protocol, and after 12 cycles, there was no evidence of postoperative recurrence. There are few reported cases describing pancreatic hepatoid carcinoma, especially mixed form with other histological associated component. Neuroendocrine differentiation is the majority associated component with 62.5% of all cases of mixed - type form. Primary pancreatic hepatocellular carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation was rare, biopsy and immunohistochemistry appeared with high diagnostic value in this case. The prognosis of pancreatic HC depends on the extent and tumor eradication, and in this case we recorded no postoperative complications and no recurrence in the 6-month follow-up period.

Introduction: Total laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (tLPD) for cancer of the Vater remains a challenging procedure. Recently, several meta-analyses showed the superior aspects of “superior mesenteric artery (SMA)-first approach,” “systematic mesopancreas dissection,” and “circumferential lymphadenectomy around SMA” in increasing R0 resection rate and reducing postoperative complications including pancreatic fistula and bleeding as well as improving overall survival particularly. Case presentation: Our patient is a 70-year-old female with a no special medical history, recruited because of jaundice. She was referred for pancreaticoduodenectomy because of a 10-mm-sized mass in distal bile duct referred to as Vater’s tumor. We used 5 trocars, and the patient was placed in a Trendelenburg position. The transverse colon was lifted, the first loop of the jejunum was pulled to the left, and lymph node groups 14th and 15th were removed en bloc and then exposed the SMA from the anterior to the left posterior side from the caudal side to the origin. The first jejunal vessels and the posterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery were ligated as well as the extensive mobility of the duodenum and head of the pancreas from the left side. The systematic mesopancreas dissection from the right site of the SMA will be easily and conveniently done afterwards. Histopathological examination of ypT2N1 indicated that 1 of the 22 lymph nodes was positive, which was 1 of 7 LN no. 14. Pathological results showed a Vater adenocarcinoma with all margins being negative. Conclusions: This technique was safe and effective to perform precise level 2 mesopancreas dissection and complete lymphadenectomy around SMA without dissection of pl-SMA in laparoscopic field.

Hepatic lymphorrhea (HL) is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening type of postoperative lymphatic leakage, especially following pancreaticoduodenectomy. We herein report a case series of four patients with HL following pancreaticoduodenectomy that presented to the department with a severe clinical picture with the discovery in imaging and intraperitoneal fluid's tests. All our patients presented with a condition of Hepatic lymphorrhea secondary to pancreaticoduodenectomy, which were treated successfully with percutaneous hepatic lymphangiography (HLG). Hepatic lymphorrhea is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening complication following pancreaticoduodenectomy. Periportal lymphatic vessels, which was often isolated and dissected especially with extended lymphadenectomy, is potentially damaged and caused resistant chylous leakage. Newly techniques are updated and applied in diagnosis and treatment for this difficult-to-treat complication, one of them is percutaneous Hepatic Lymphangiography (HLG). HLG with percutaneous access could be effective to identify and terminate the chylous fistula from periportal lymphatic vessels after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Thanh Khiem Nguyen, Ham Hoi Nguyen, Tuan Hiep Luong, Kim Khue Dang, Van Duy Le, Duc Dung Tran, Van Minh Do, Hong Quang Pham, Hoan My Pham, Thi Lan Tran, Cuong Thinh Nguyen, Hong Son Trinh, Yosuke Inoue. Ann Hepatobiliary Pancreat Surg 2024;28:59-69. https://doi.org/10.14701/ahbps.23-068

Background: Tumors located in the caudate lobe may be primary tumor or metastases from other sites. Isolated caudate lobectomy (ICL) is a challenging procedure due to its complex structure and location. The access route to the caudate lobe has an important role in the success of the operation. Methods: Based on the characteristics of the segment I location, which is the part of the liver located in front of the vena cava, below the hepatic veins, and cranial to the hilar plate, our approach aims to isolate the entire caudate lobe from these anatomical structures with the following steps: dissecting the caudate lobe from the hilar plate and isolating the caudate lobe from the IVC and from the hepatic veins along with parenchymal resection. Results: We report two successful cases with the Glissonean pedicle transection method described by Takasaki and the combined right- and left-side approach: a 63-year-old female patient with a 46-mm-in-diameter HCC tumor and a 39-year-old female patient with a 45-mm lesion and the pathological result was focal nodular hyperplasia. Conclusions: We found this to be a safe and effective approach, which can be applied to all cases of benign tumors or in the case of malignant tumors located entirely in the caudate lobe when extended hepatic resection is not possible due to poor liver function or small remnant liver volume.

Chylous ascites is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening type of postoperative lymphatic leakage, especially following pancreaticoduodenectomy. A 59-year-old man underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) with extended lymphadenectomy and segmental Superior Mesenteric Vein (SMV) resection for SMV-involved pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). After 20th postoperative day, patient had a drain output with a milky appearance, and with a triglyceride level was 1.6 mmol/L, and the daily output volume was up to 1500 mL per day. She has been performed Conventional Lymphangiography (CLAG) to identify the broken lymphatic vessels as well as close the leakage. Following two consecutive lymphangiography, the source of chylous leakage was identified from hilar lymphatic system, and injection of Aetoxisclerol 2% into lymphatic vessels to close the leakage was performed. Partial parenteral nutrition with limited fat components or medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) was administered, and the amount of ascites decreased particularly. The drain was removed in 20th day after the second CLAG. He had no symptoms of abdominal distention after drain removal and had been discharged after 37 postoperative days (PODs). Chylous ascites is an uncommon but potentially life-threatening complication following pancreaticoduodenectomy. Portal lymphatic plexus, which was often isolated and dissected especially with extended lymphadenectomy, is potentially damaged and caused resistant chylous leakage. Newly techniques are updated and applied in diagnosis and treatment for this difficult-to-treat complication, one of them is percutaneous transhepatic Conventional Lymphangiography (CLAG). CLAG with percutaneous transhepatic access could be effective to identify and terminate the chylous fistula from portal lymphatic plexus after pancreaticoduodenectomy.