LAUSR

Young pancreatic surgeons should read the publication of Siegel et al., reporting the resection of the venous axis replaced by a 10-cm autologous graft in 1965! The intraoperative description shows how they were pioneers and could not anticipate the various obstacles through imaging, nor did the techniques of anesthesia and resuscitation help optimize the perioperative management. Later (1973), Fortner et al. showed that arterial resections were technically feasible, and the postoperative mortality was not surprisingly high. Over time, vascular resections became safer; however, the issues faced by patients increased, such as negative impact on their quality of life, as these extensive resections often led to weight loss, diarrhea, and sometimes failure to thrive.