A client with cancer of the pancreas has undergone a Whipple procedure. The nurse is aware that during the Whipple procedure, the doctor will remove the:
A. Head of the pancreas
B. Proximal third section of the small intestines
C. Stomach and duodenum
D. Esophagus and jejunum
Correct Answer: A. Head of the pancreas
During a Whipple procedure the head of the pancreas, which is a part of the stomach, the jejunum, and a portion of the stomach is removed and anastomosed. It is the most often used surgery to treat pancreatic cancer that’s confined to the head of the pancreas. After performing the Whipple procedure, the surgeon reconnects the remaining organs to allow the client to digest food normally after surgery.
Option B: Small bowel resection is surgery to remove a part of the small bowel. It is done when part of the small bowel is blocked or diseased.
Option C: A gastrectomy is the surgical removal of all or part of the stomach. The stomach is a J-shaped organ in the upper abdomen. It is part of the digestive system, which processes nutrients ( vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and water) in foods that are eaten and help pass waste material out of the body. A partial gastrectomy is the removal of only part of the stomach. The remaining portion then continues with its digestive role. If the entire stomach is removed, the esophagus is connected directly to the small intestine, where digestion now begins. Patients must make significant dietary changes when a gastrectomy is performed.
Option D: Jejunal interposition is a procedure in which surgeons replace the missing section of a child’s esophagus with a section of the jejunum (the middle part of the small intestine). It is used to treat children who have already undergone failed repair of long-gap esophageal atresia and for whom the Foker process isn’t an option.