Portal vein anastomosis with parachute method in hepatectomy and pancreatectomy.

In advanced cancers of hepatobiliary and pancreatic lesions, major vascular resection and reconstruction are necessary to accomplish curative resection. Stenosis of vascular anastomosis is a concern in case of portal or superior mesenteric venous anastomosis with different vascular calibers. We attempted to apply parachute anastomosis in such a situation, which has often been used in the field of cardiovascular surgery. We applied this procedure in 4 cases of two hepatectomies in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas and two pancreatectomies in pancreatic carcinomas, in which combined vascular resection was necessary. After anastomosis, the orifice of anastomotic veins was well matched and did not show stenosis or poor blood flow on ultrasonographic examination. Parachute anastomosis in the portal or superior mesenteric vein is a useful procedure to prevent vascular stenosis, particularly in case of anastomosis with different calibers.