Modified extended distal pancreatectomy for carcinoma of body and tail of pancreas

The prognosis of carcinoma in the body and tail of the pancreas is disappointing due to the low rate of resectability, since it is usually presented at an advanced stage with local invasion of adjacent major vessels. However, the postoperative survival, if resectable, is similar to carcinoma of the pancreatic head. Aggressive approach, by applying extended distal pancreatectomy with the resection of the celiac axis, may increase the resectability but promote the potential risk of hepatic dysfunction and biliary necrosis after the sudden interruption of the common hepatic artery. We modified the procedure by reanastomosis between the stump of the celiac axis and common hepatic artery without vascular graft to manage a 50-year-old woman with locally advanced carcinoma of the body and tail of pancreas. She had 2 years of disease-free survival. This modified extended pancreatectomy may be a feasible and safer procedure.