Carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater; Whipple operation and ten-year arrest in three cases.

For their value as factors in the evaluation of pancreatoduodenectomy for carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater, the late results in three cases in which the Whipple operation was performed for this lesion are presented. At the time of the report, the time that had elapsed since operation was 12 years in one case, 11 in another and 10 in the third. After this article was written, one patient died of carcinoma of the body of the pancreas, but whether the lesion was a recurrence, a metastatic growth, or a second primary lesion could not be determined. There was no evidence of recurrence or metastasis in two of the patients. This report is based upon observation in recent surgical care of two of the patients and upon direct information of the other patient.