Abstract
Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is a highly invasive operative procedure, associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. We present 2 cases of preoperative digestive tract stent placement for PD. Case 1 was a 76-year-old man diagnosed as having pancreatic cancer with duodenal invasion. The patient had difficulty in oral intake due to duodenal stenosis. Therefore, endoscopic duodenal stent placement was performed preoperatively. PD was performed 1 month after the stent placement, and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 23 without any severe complications. Case 2 was a 68-year-old man diagnosed as having obstructive ascending colon cancer with invasion of the duodenum and liver. He had difficulty in oral intake due to colonic obstruction ; therefore, endoscopic colonic stent placement was performed preoperatively. Right hemicolectomy with PD and partial liver resection were performed 16 days after the stent placement, and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 25 without any severe complications. For patients in need of PD who present with evidence of gastrointestinal obstruction, preoperative digestive trect stent placement may be a useful therapeutic strategy.
