Conduits in Vascular Pancreatic Surgery: Analysis of Clinical Outcomes, Operative Techniques, and Graft Performance

Abstract

Objectives: We analyze successes and failures of pushing the boundaries in vascular pancreatic surgery to establish safety of conduit reconstructions.

Background: Improved systemic control from chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer is increasing the demand for surgical solutions of extensive local vessel involvement, but conduit-specific data are scarce.

Methods: We identified 63 implanted conduits (41% autologous vessels, 37% allografts, 18% PTFE) in 56 pancreatic resections of highly selected cancer patients between October 2013 and July 2020 from our prospectively maintained database. Assessed parameters were survival, perioperative complications, operative techniques (anatomic and extra-anatomic routes), and conduit patency.

Results: For vascular reconstruction, 25 arterial and 38 venous conduits were utilized during 39 pancreatoduodenectomies, 14 distal pancreatectomies, and 3 total pancreatectomies. The median postoperative survival was 2 years. A Clavien-Dindo grade ≥IIIa complication was apparent in 50% of the patients with a median Comprehensive Complication Index of 29.6. The 90-day mortality in this highly selected cohort was 9%. Causes of mortality were conduit related in 3 patients, late postpancreatectomy hemorrhage in 1 patient, and early liver metastasis in 1 patient. Image-based patency rates of conduits were 66% and 45% at postoperative days 30 and 90, respectively.

Conclusions: Our perioperative mortality of vascular pancreatic surgery with conduits in the arterial or venous system is 9%. Reconstructions are technically feasible with different anatomic and extra-anatomic strategies, while identifying predictors of early conduit occlusion remains challenging. Optimizing reconstructed arterial and venous hemodynamics in the context of pancreatic malignancy will enable long-term survival in more patients responsive to chemotherapies.