Gastric venous congestion and bleeding in association with total pancreatectomy

BACKGROUND: Gastric venous congestion and bleeding in association with total pancreatectomy (TP) were evaluated. METHODS: Thirty-eight patients of TP were retrospectively analyzed. TP was classified as TP with distal gastrectomy (TPDG), pylorus-preserving TP (PPTP), subtotal stomach-preserving TP (SSPTP), and TP with segmental duodenectomy (TPSD). RESULTS: Portal vein or superior mesenteric vein resection and reconstruction was performed in 24 patients (62.2%). Gastric bleeding occurred immediately after tumor resection in one of eight patients who underwent SSPTP, and urgent anastomosis between the right gastroepiploic and left ovarian vein stopped the bleeding. Another case of gastric bleeding was observed a few hours after TP in one of nine patients who underwent PPTP, and hemostasis was achieved after conservative therapy. Gastric bleeding was not observed in 16 patients who underwent TPDG and five who underwent TPSD. Some patients underwent preservation of gastric drainage veins (left gastric vein, right gastric vein, or right gastroepiploic vein). Neither patient with bleeding underwent preservation of a gastric drainage vein. CONCLUSIONS: To preserve the subtotal or whole stomach when performing TP, one of the gastric drainage veins should undergo preservation or reconstruction, and anastomosis between the right gastroepiploic vein and left ovarian vein may be beneficial.