IMPORTANCE Pancreatic mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCNs) harbor malignant potential, and current guidelines recommend resection. However, data are limited on preoperative risk factors for malignancy (adenocarcinoma or high-grade dysplasia) occurring in the setting of an MCN. OBJECTIVES To examine the preoperative risk factors for malignancy in resected MCNs and to assess outcomes of MCN-associated adenocarcinoma. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Patients who underwent pancreatic resection of MCNs at the 8 academic centers of the Central Pancreas Consortium from January 1, 2000, through December 31, 2014, were retrospectively identified. Preoperative factors of patients with and without malignant tumors were compared. Survival analyses were conducted for patients with adenocarcinoma. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Binary logistic regression models were used to determine the association of preoperative factors with the presence of MCN-associated malignancy. RESULTS A total of 1667 patients underwent resection of pancreatic cystic lesions, and 349 (20.9%) had an MCN (310 women [88.8%]; mean (SD) age, 53.3 [14.7] years). Male sex (odds ratio [OR], 3.72; 95% CI, 1.21–11.44; P = .02), pancreatic head and neck location (OR, 3.93; 95% CI, 1.43–10.81; P = .01), increased radiographic size of the MCN (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.08–1.27; P < .001), presence of a solid component or mural nodule (OR, 4.54; 95% CI, 1.95–10.57; P < .001), and duct dilation (OR, 4.17; 95% CI, 1.63–10.64; P = .003) were independently associated with malignancy. Malignancy was not associated with presence of radiographic septations or preoperative cyst fluid analysis (carcinoembryonic antigen, amylase, or mucin presence). The median serum CA19-9 level for patients with malignant neoplasms was 210 vs 15 U/mL for those without (P = .001). In the 44 patients with adenocarcinoma, 41 (93.2%) had lymph nodes harvested, with nodal metastases in only 14 (34.1%). Median follow-up for patients with adenocarcinoma was 27 months. Adenocarcinoma recurred in 11 patients (25%), with a 64% recurrence-free survival and 59% overall survival at 3 years. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Adenocarcinoma or high-grade dysplasia is present in 14.9% of resected pancreatic MCNs for which risks include male sex, pancreatic head and neck location, larger MCN, solid component or mural nodule, and duct dilation. Mucinous cystic neoplasm-associated adenocarcinoma appears to have decreased nodal involvement at the time of resection and increased survival compared with typical pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Indications for resection of MCNs should be revisited.

Resection for hilar cholangiocarcinoma that meets criteria for transplantation (<3 cm, lymph-node negative disease) is associated with substantially decreased survival compared to transplant for the same criteria with unresectable disease. Prospective trials are needed and justified.

Background This study was designed to develop a more robust predictive model, beyond T-stage alone, for incidental gallbladder cancer (IGBC) for discovering locoregional residual (LRD) and distant disease (DD) at reoperation, and estimating overall survival (OS). T-stage alone is currently used to guide treatment for incidental gallbladder cancer. Residual disease at re-resection is the most important factor in predicting outcomes. Methods All patients with IGBC who underwent reoperation at 10 institutions from 2000 to 2015 were included. Routine pathology data from initial cholecystectomy was utilized to create the gallbladder cancer predictive risk score (GBRS). Results Of 449 patients with gallbladder cancer, 262 (58 %) were incidentally discovered and underwent reoperation. Advanced T-stage, grade, and presence of lymphovascular (LVI) and perineural (PNI) invasion were all associated with increased rates of DD and LRD and decreased OS. Each pathologic characteristic was assigned a value (T1a: 0, T1b: 1, T2: 2, T3/4: 3; well-diff: 1, mod-diff: 2, poor-diff: 3; LVI-neg: 1, LVI-pos: 2; PNI-neg: 1, PNI-pos: 2), which added to a total GBRS score from 3 to 10. The scores were separated into three risk-groups (low: 3–4, intermediate: 5–7, high: 8–10). Each progressive GBRS group was associated with an increased incidence LRD and DD at the time of re-resection and reduced OS. Conclusions By accounting for subtle pathologic variations within each T-stage, this novel predictive risk-score better stratifies patients with incidentally discovered gall-bladder cancer. Compared with T-stage alone, it more accurately identifies patients at risk for locoregional-residual and distant disease and predicts long-term survival as it redistributes T1b, T2, and T3 disease across separate risk-groups based on additional biologic features. This score may help to optimize treatment strategy for patients with incidentally discovered gallbladder cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of a dual-ring wound protector for preventing incisional surgical site infection among patients with biliary stents undergoing pancreatoduodenectomy. Methods: This study was a parallel, dual-arm, double-blind randomized controlled trial. Adult patients with a biliary stent undergoing elective pancreatoduodenectomy at two tertiary care HPB institutions were included (February 2013eMay 2016). Patients were randomly assigned to receive a surgical dual-ring wound protector or no wound protector, as well as the current standard of care. The main outcome measure was incisional surgical site infection, as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria, within 30 days of the operation. Results: 107 patients were recruited (mean age, 68.6 years [standard deviation, 10.6]; 66% male). No significant baseline differences were identified between the intervention and control groups in terms of mean age (67.6 vs. 69.7 years; p = 0.35); BMI (26.8 vs. 24.8 Kg/m 2 ; p = 0.131); ASA group (ASA > 2, 47.4% vs. 52.6%; p = 0.65); estimated intra-operative blood loss (425 vs. 508 ml; p = 0.36); duration of surgery (361.7 vs. 348.5 min; p = 0.65); or other factors (p > 0.05). There was a significant reduction in the incidence of incisional SSI in the wound protector group (21.1% vs. 42.0%; relative risk, 0.50 [95% confidence interval, 0.28e0.91]; p = 0.019). Conclusion: Among adult patients with intrabiliary stent, the use of a dual-ring wound protector during pancreatoduodenectomy significantly reduces the risk of incisional surgical site infection. Based on recently published infection incidence patterns, this finding can be extrapolated to include all pancreatoduodenectomies (i.e. with or without biliary stents).

BACKGROUND The role of routine lymphadenectomy for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma is still controversial and no study has defined the minimum number of lymph nodes examined (TNLE). We sought to assess the prognostic performance of American Joint Committee on Cancer/Union Internationale Contre le Cancer (7th edition) N stage, lymph node ratio, and log odds (LODDS; logarithm of the ratio between metastatic and nonmetastatic nodes) in patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma and identify the optimal TNLE to accurately stage patients. METHODS A multi-institutional database was queried to identify 437 patients who underwent hepatectomy for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma between 1995 and 2014. The prognostic abilities of the lymph node staging systems were assessed using the Harrell’s c-index. A Bayesian model was developed to identify the minimum TNLE. RESULTS One hundred and fifty-eight (36.2%) patients had lymph node metastasis. Median TNLE was 3 (interquartile range, 1 to 7). The LODDS had a slightly better prognostic performance than lymph node ratio and American Joint Committee on Cancer, in particular among patients with <4 TNLE (c-index = 0.568). For 2 TNLE, the Bayesian model showed a poor discriminatory ability to distinguish patients with favorable and poor prognosis. When TNLE was >2, the hazard ratio for N1 patients was statistically significant and the hazard ratio for N1 patients increased from 1.51 with 4 TNLE to 2.10 with 10 TNLE. Although the 5-year overall survival of N1 patients was only slightly affected by TNLE, the 5-year overall survival of N0 patients increased significantly with TNLE. CONCLUSIONS Perihilar cholangiocarcinoma patients undergoing radical resection should ideally have at least 4 lymph nodes harvested to be accurately staged. In addition, although LODDS performed better at determining prognosis among patients with <4 TNLE, both lymph node ratio and LODDS outperformed compared with American Joint Committee on Cancer N stage among patients with ≥4 TNLE.