Hepatopancreatoduodenectomy with delayed division of the pancreatic parenchyma when utilizing a right lateral approach to the superior mesenteric artery.

Background: Hepatopancreatoduodenectomy (HPD) is a high-risk surgical procedure. Delayed division of the pancreatic parenchyma (DDPP) was reported as a novel technique in HPD for reducing postoperative pancreatic fistula. However, it is often difficult to dissect the pancreatic head nerve plexus while leaving the pancreatic parenchyma intact, particularly in patients with a bulky tumor with vascular invasion. Of the various reported approaches to the superior mesenteric artery, the right lateral approach can provide a useful surgical field to conduct DDPP in HPD.

Case presentation: A 78-year-old man visited a local clinic with itching and jaundice. Laboratory tests revealed elevated hepatobiliary enzyme, total bilirubin, and tumor markers. Enhanced computed tomography, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, and intraductal ultrasonography of the bile duct were performed, and he was diagnosed with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma with invasion to the right hepatic artery (40 × 15 mm, Bismuth IIIa, cT3N0M0 cStage III). After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, he underwent left hepatectomy with caudate lobectomy, pancreatoduodenectomy, and combined resection of right hepatic artery using DDPP with a right lateral approach to the superior mesenteric artery. The pathological diagnosis was perihilar cholangiocarcinoma ypT3N1M0 ypStage IIIC, R0 resection. He was discharged on postoperative day 57 in good health and has been doing well for 6 months since the surgery.

Conclusions: We present an effective application of the right lateral approach to the superior mesenteric artery in DDPP during HPD. This procedure can provide a clear surgical field to easily divide the pancreatic head nerve plexus before transection of the pancreatic parenchyma.