Pancreaticoduodenectomy after postoperative gastric tube reconstruction for esophageal cancer with median arcuate ligament syndrome: a case report

BackgroundPancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is considered a challenging surgery for resecting the gastroduodenal artery (GDA), right gastric artery (RGA), and lymph node tumors. In cases of pancreatic head cancer surgery, vascular anastomosis or right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA)/GDA preservation is necessary after postoperative gastric tube reconstruction for esophageal cancer. Therefore, we report for the first time an extremely rare case of PD in a patient with pancreatic head cancer and median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) after gastric tube reconstruction following esophageal cancer surgery, in which the entire pancreatic head arcade was preserved.Case presentationThe patient was a 76-year-old man who had undergone esophageal cancer surgery after sternal gastric tube reconstruction 7 years ago. He was referred to our hospital because of the suspicion of intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma (IPMC) owing to an enlarged cystic lesion and a substantial component in the uncinate process of the pancreas. Preoperative three-dimensional computed (3D-CT) tomography angiography showed celiac axis stenosis and pancreatic head arcade dilation. The diagnosis was IPMC without evidence of invasion; therefore, gastric tube blood flow was maintained by preserving the GDA and RGEA. Due to MALS, the GDA blood flow was supplied through the pancreatic head arcade, necessitating its preservation. The GDA-RGEA, right gastroepiploic vein, and anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal artery were taped over the entire pancreatic head for preservation. The inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery (IPDA) was also taped on the dorsal pancreas and the posterior or anterior IPDA, which further bifurcates were taped to preserve them. Subsequently, PD was performed.ConclusionWe report a case of PD after gastric tube reconstruction for esophageal cancer with MALS, in which the pancreatic head arcade vessels were successfully preserved using 3D-CT to confirm the operation of the vessels.