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Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Laparoscopic Radical Antegrade Modular Pancreatosplenectomy via Dorsal-Caudal Artery Approach for Pancreatic Neck-Body Cancer
Published on: November 18, 2022
Groove pancreatic carcinoma.
Naotake Funamizu1, Masanori Aramaki, Toshifumi Matsumoto
1Department of Surgery I, Oita Medical University, 1-1 Idaigaoka Hasama-machi, Oita 879-55, Japan.
Groove pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer are challenging to distinguish. Endoscopic biopsy aids diagnosis, preventing unnecessary surgery for this rare pancreatic head adenocarcinoma.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Surgical Oncology
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Groove pancreatitis is a rare condition located between the pancreas head, duodenum, and common bile duct.
- Distinguishing groove pancreatitis from pancreatic adenocarcinoma is clinically challenging.
Observation:
- A 54-year-old woman presented with epigastric pain, jaundice, and vomiting, indicative of a potential pancreatic head mass.
- Computed tomography (CT), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), and endoscopic biopsy confirmed groove pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
Findings:
- The adenocarcinoma was well-differentiated and primarily situated in Santorini's duct without invading the main pancreatic duct.
- The patient had a successful pancreatoduodenectomy and remained recurrence-free for 15 months post-surgery.
Implications:
- Accurate differentiation between groove pancreatitis and carcinoma is crucial to avoid overtreatment.
- Endoscopic biopsy and duodenal observation are valuable diagnostic tools.
- Maintaining a high index of suspicion for pancreatic head carcinoma in the groove region is essential.
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