Woman With Tricky Pancreatic Tumour Undergoes Difficult Robotic Whipple Procedure To Remove It

A woman from Odisha underwent a complex robotic Whipple procedure to remove a tricky tumour in her pancreas, which was becoming life-threatening. The surgery, also known as robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy, is a minimally invasive treatment option recommended for pancreatic cancer and other conditions related to the pancreas, gallbladder, small intestine, and bile duct.

A 53-year-old homemaker from Bhubaneshwar in Odisha underwent a complex and difficult robotic Whipple surgery to remove a tricky tumour in her pancreas, which was life-threatening.
It all started when Subhashree Patnaik (name changed) started experiencing sharp abdominal pain accompanied by mild fever. Initially, she brushed it off and carried on with her daily chores, unaware of what was to come. She then noticed that her skin was turning yellow and her urine became dark, realising something was seriously wrong.
Patnaik rushed to a local doctor, where two liver function tests were conducted, confirming the diagnosis of jaundice. However, even after taking the prescribed medications, her jaundice and fever persisted, after which she was recommended to get an ultrasound, which revealed an obstruction in her pancreas. Later, CT and PET-CT scans, along with an endoscopic biopsy, confirmed the presence of a pancreatic mass with obstructive jaundice. The tumour was located in the uncinate process of the pancreas, a particularly tricky spot due to its proximity to major blood vessels supplying blood to the liver and bowel, which made its removal much more complex.

How was the tumour removed?

Dr Manjunath Haridas, consultant – colorectal, GI and robotic surgeon at Manipal Hospital, conducted the robotic-assisted surgery for her treatment. The robotic Whipple procedure is a highly complex procedure that involves taking out a portion of the bile duct, pancreas, and bowel, followed by their reconstruction to restore digestive continuity.

In Patnaik’s case, the challenge not only involved removing the tumour but also its careful separation from the portal vein and superior mesenteric artery or SMA, which supply blood to the liver and bowel, respectively. Patnaik was discharged from the hospital within four days, including just one day in the ICU. Since then, her journey has been remarkably smooth, with no notable setbacks.

“Robotics has changed the way the patient recovers, changed the way we can improve the outcome for the patient, and all these medical innovations make sure the patient can benefit,” noted Dr Haridas. “This benefit is very unique in this case, just because it was robotic, but it is applicable throughout to almost all the surgeries.”

What is the robotic Whipple procedure?

According to experts, the robotic Whipple procedure – also known as robotic Whipple surgery or robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy – is a minimally invasive treatment option recommended for pancreatic cancer and other conditions related to the pancreas, gallbladder, small intestine, and bile duct. A standard Whipple procedure involves the removal of the following organs: