A Case of Carcinoma of the Body and Tail of the Pancreas Treated by Gastric-preserving Distal Pancreatectomy with Dissection of the Celiac Trunk

Toshio Nakagori, Hirohumi Miyoshi, Yozo Tsunoda, Hideyo Takeuchi, Riki Iwashita, Takehide Asano*, Kaichi Isono*

Department of Surgery, Kumagaya General Hospital
*Second Department of Surgery, Chiba University School of Medicine

A case of carcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas treated by gastric-preserving distal pancreatectomy with dissection of the celiac artery is reported. A 75-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital complaining of loss of appetite and weight loss. Computed tomography and abdominal angiography revealed invasion of both the splenic artery and the splenic vein by carcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas, so we performed gastricpreserving distal pancreatectomy with dissection of the celiac trunk. The right gastric artery was divided at its origin from the common hepatic artery. The right gastroepiploic artery was preserved only for supplying blood to the stomach. The post-operative course was uneventful. At the time of discharge from the hospital on the 21st postoperative day, she was eating a regular diet. An upper gastrointestinal series showed normal gastric activity. We believe gastric-preserving distal pancreatectomy with dissection of the celiac artery has a significant role to play in the management of patients with pancreatic carcinoma.

Key words
distal pancreatectomy, dissection of the celiac axis, preservation of the entire stomach

Reprint requests
Toshio Nakagori Second Department of Surgery, Chiba University School of Medicine
1-8-1 Inohana-cho, Chiba-shi, 280 JAPAN

Accepted
May 13, 1992

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