Pancreaticoduodenectomy with preoperative total embolization of the hepatic arteries (PD-HAE)—a novel treatment with sacrifice of the hepatic arterial blood supply without the need for arterial reconstruction

Purpose Tumors with involvement of common hepatic and gastroduodenal arteries (CHA and GDA) or GDA and the proper hepatic artery (PHA) are traditionally considered nonresectable. We have devised a new procedure that includes pancreaticoduodenectomy with preoperative hepatic artery embolization (PD-HAE) to facilitate an R0 resection of tumors involving the hepatic arteries without vascular anastomoses and complete sacrifice of normal hepatic arterial blood supply. Methods To allow resection of the hepatic arteries, preoperative embolization of the PHA was performed to induce an increased collateral arterial blood flow from the periphery of the liver, far from the hepatic hilum 10–14 days prior to the operation. Between May 1, 2017 and December 31, 2019, eight patients with ductal adenocarcinoma were operated with the PD-HAE procedure. Results The embolizations were uneventful apart from a transient marginal elevation of alanine aminotransferase in three patients. All patients had N disease with perineural invasion of tumor cells around the adventitia of the artery and severe perivascular inflammation. An R0 resection (> 1.0 mm to all resection margins) was obtained in six patients (75%). Mean hospital stay was 12 days. Median survival was 23 months (95% CI: 19.5–26.5 months). Six patients (75%) are still alive 11 to 36 months after the operation. There was perioperative fatality, and morbidity was comparable to standard pancreaticoduodenectomy. Conclusion PD-HAE is a safe procedure and may provide the opportunity for curative resection in otherwise unresectable patients. However, larger studies are needed to evaluate this procedure.