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World J Gastroenterol. Mar 7, 2014; 20(9): 2304-2320
Published online Mar 7, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i9.2304
Anaesthetic perioperative management of patients with pancreatic cancer
Lesley De Pietri, Roberto Montalti, Bruno Begliomini
Lesley De Pietri, Bruno Begliomini, Division of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Modena-Policlinico, 41100 Modena, Italy
Roberto Montalti, Transplantation Surgery, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Ospedali Riuniti di Ancona, 60126 Modena, Italy
Author contributions: De Pietri L conceived and designed the review; Montalti R drafted the article; Begliomini B revised the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Dr, Lesley De Pietri, Division of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Unit, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Modena-Policlinico, No. 71 via del Pozzo, 41100 Modena, Italy. lesley.depietri@yahoo.it
Telephone: +39-59-4225864 Fax: +39-59-4223765
Received: October 10, 2013
Revised: January 6, 2014
Accepted: January 20, 2014
Published online: March 7, 2014
Core Tip

Core tip: Currently, the only curative treatment for pancreatic cancer is surgical resection. However, this type of surgery is still burdened by considerable morbidity due to its complexity and to the type of referred patients (elderly and with many co-morbidities). We believe that anaesthetic management with proper surgical approaches can play a key role in the outcome of the patient. Simple perioperative precautions in anaesthetic management (patient risk assessment, fluids management, prevention of surgical site infection, thromboprophylaxis, intraoperative ventilation, and intensive postoperative management) can help to ensure that these surgical operations are performed with reasonable assurance.