Pseudocysts are a recognised complication following acute or chronic pancreatitis. Usually located in peripancreatic areas, they have also been reported to occur in atypical regions like liver, pelvis, spleen, and mediastinum. Mediastinal pseudocysts are a rare entity and present with myriad of symptoms due to their unique location. They are a clinical challenge to diagnose and manage. In this paper, we describe the clinical and radiological characteristics of mediastinal pseudocysts in 7 of our patients, as well as our experience in managing these patients along with their clinical outcome.

Central pancreatectomy is a pancreatic parenchymal sparing surgery usually indicated for benign and borderline malignant tumors of the neck and proximal body of the pancreas. Due to the presence of extensive intra-pancreatic spread, pancreatic parenchyma sparing procedures such as central pancreatectomy are invariably deferred in pancreatic malignancy. The need for management of two pancreatic stumps with a usually soft texture and non-dilated ducts, given the indications, increases the risk of pancreatic fistula and therefore morbidity. Proximal stump management is usually a closure either by suture or stapler with reinforcements; the technique preferred depends on the experience of the surgeon and is mostly extrapolated from distal pancreatectomy. Distal stump management is the Achilles' heel owing to the texture of the pancreas and pancreatic duct size. Need for additional mobilization may have a bearing on the perfusion of the pancreatic stump and hence may lead to clinically relevant leaks. The use of octreotide accentuating the said vascular insufficiency may not be an overstatement. Here we present a case of solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of the neck and proximal body of the pancreas in which a central pancreatectomy with falciform patch closure of the proximal stump and binding pancreaticogastrostomy (PG) was contemplated and further we discuss the types of reconstruction with special reference to the vascular pattern of distal pancreas.

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Biliary enteric anastomosis for relief of biliary obstruction caused by malignancy at the confluence of the bile ducts can be difficult due to non availability of an adequate length of duct for anastomosis. This paper describes an approach to the left hepatic duct to decompress the biliary tree and its successful application in 11 of 12 patients who presented with malignant hilar obstruction.