No abstract

Background: The diagnosis and treatment of periampullary tumors represents a challenge for current medicine. Aim: To review the results of pancreaticoduodenectomy (PDD) in the treatment of periampullary tumors and to identify risk factors that impact the long-term survival. Patients and Methods: We performed a retrospective study of patients who underwent a PDD for periampullary tumors between 1993 and 2009. We reviewed perioperative results and long term survival. We performed a multivariate analysis for long-term survival. Results: A PDD was performed in 181 patients aged 58 ± 12 years (98 females). Piloric preservation was done in 53% and a pancreatogastric anastomosis was used in 94% of cases. Morbidity was 62% and postoperative mortality was 5.5%. Pancreatic cancer was the most frequent pathological fi nding in 41%, followed by ampullary cancer in 28% and distal bile duct cancer in 16%. Median survival was 17 months, with a fi ve years survival of 24%. Survival for ampullary tumors was 28 months with a fi ve years survival of 32%. The median and fi ve years survival were 14 months and 16% for bile duct cancer and 11 months and 14% for pancreatic cancer. Multivariate analysis identifi ed tumor type (pancreas /bile duct) and lymph node dissemination as independent predictors of mortality. Conclusions: One quarter of patients experienced long term survival. Mortality predictors were tumor type and lymph node dissemination.