About Dr. Cai Duan
Dr. Cai Duan (蔡端) is a Professor, Doctoral Supervisor, and one of China's leading pancreatic and hepatobiliary surgeons, based at the Department of General Surgery, Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University (Second Military Medical University). With extensive clinical experience in the surgical management of pancreatic cancer, chronic pancreatitis, pancreatic cystic neoplasms, bile duct tumors, and complex hepatobiliary conditions, Dr. Cai is recognized as a senior authority in pancreatic and hepatobiliary surgery at one of China's most distinguished military academic medical centers. His clinical practice is defined by a commitment to oncological precision, minimally invasive technique where appropriate, and the integration of multidisciplinary expertise — including medical oncology, radiation oncology, and interventional radiology — into the surgical management of complex pancreatic and biliary tumors.
Pancreatic surgery represents one of the most technically demanding and high-stakes domains in abdominal surgery. The pancreas is a deeply situated, anatomically complex organ with intimate relationships to the superior mesenteric artery and vein, portal vein, celiac axis, and other major vascular structures — relationships that make pancreatic resection technically challenging and that determine the boundary between resectable and unresectable disease. The Whipple procedure (pancreaticoduodenectomy) — the standard operation for pancreatic head cancer and periampullary tumors — is one of the most complex abdominal operations performed, with outcomes that are highly dependent on surgeon experience and institutional volume. At high-volume pancreatic surgery centers, postoperative mortality rates for the Whipple procedure are below 3% and major complication rates are substantially lower than at low-volume centers. Dr. Cai's case volume and technical expertise, supported by Changhai Hospital's multidisciplinary pancreatic disease program, place him among China's elite pancreatic surgeons.
Hospital Affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Changhai Hospital
Changhai Hospital (长海医霂), affiliated with Naval Medical University, is one of Shanghai's largest and most prestigious academic medical centers. Its Department of General Surgery is a high-volume, multidisciplinary surgical program with particular national recognition in pancreatic surgery, colorectal surgery, and hepatobiliary surgery. The pancreatic surgery program at Changhai Hospital is one of the highest-volume in Shanghai, performing a large number of Whipple procedures, distal pancreatectomies, and total pancreatectomies annually, supported by a dedicated pancreatic tumor multidisciplinary team integrating pancreatic surgery, gastroenterology, medical oncology, radiation oncology, and interventional radiology.
The department's laparoscopic and robotic surgery program provides minimally invasive approaches to pancreatic resection — including laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy, laparoscopic Whipple procedure, and robotic pancreatic surgery — for appropriately selected patients, enabling shorter hospital stays, reduced blood loss, and faster recovery compared to open surgical approaches. The department's pancreatic surgery program is closely integrated with Changhai Hospital's world-renowned gastroenterology and therapeutic endoscopy program — including Academician Li Zhaoshen's digestive endoscopy and EUS service — enabling seamless coordination of endoscopic and surgical approaches to complex pancreatic and biliary disease.
Clinical Specialties: What Dr. Cai Duan Treats
- Pancreatic cancer surgery — pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure) for pancreatic head cancer, ampullary cancer, distal cholangiocarcinoma, and duodenal cancer; pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD); distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy for pancreatic body and tail cancer; total pancreatectomy for multifocal or diffuse pancreatic cancer; vascular resection and reconstruction (portal vein, superior mesenteric vein) for borderline resectable pancreatic cancer; laparoscopic and robotic pancreatic resection for selected cases; coordination with medical oncology and radiation oncology for neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment including FOLFIRINOX, gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel, and stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)
- Borderline resectable and locally advanced pancreatic cancer — multidisciplinary assessment of resectability using NCCN and ISGPS criteria; neoadjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiation for conversion to resectability; reassessment of resectability after neoadjuvant treatment; vascular resection and reconstruction for tumors involving the portal vein or superior mesenteric vein; palliative surgical bypass (hepaticojejunostomy, gastrojejunostomy) for unresectable disease causing biliary or gastric outlet obstruction
- Pancreatic cystic neoplasms — surgical resection of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) with high-risk features or worrisome features not amenable to surveillance; mucinous cystic neoplasm (MCN) resection; solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) resection; enucleation and central pancreatectomy for benign or low-grade cystic lesions amenable to parenchyma-sparing resection; coordination with the EUS team for pre-operative cyst characterization and risk stratification
- Chronic pancreatitis surgery — Frey procedure (local resection of pancreatic head with lateral pancreaticojejunostomy) for chronic pancreatitis with pancreatic head enlargement and ductal hypertension; Beger procedure for inflammatory pancreatic head mass; distal pancreatectomy for chronic pancreatitis predominantly affecting the body and tail; total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation (TP-IAT) for refractory chronic pancreatitis with intractable pain; coordination with the endoscopy team for pre-operative ERCP and pancreatic duct stenting
- Bile duct and gallbladder surgery — hepaticojejunostomy and bile duct reconstruction for benign biliary strictures and bile duct injuries; hilar cholangiocarcinoma (Klatskin tumor) resection including hepatic resection and biliary reconstruction; distal cholangiocarcinoma resection (Whipple procedure); gallbladder cancer resection including extended cholecystectomy with hepatic resection and lymphadenectomy; laparoscopic cholecystectomy for symptomatic gallstone disease
- Minimally invasive pancreatic and hepatobiliary surgery — laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy with or without spleen preservation; laparoscopic Whipple procedure for selected cases; robotic pancreatic surgery; laparoscopic hepatic resection for liver tumors and metastases; reduced blood loss, shorter hospitalization, and faster recovery compared to open surgical approaches
- Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs) — surgical resection of functioning PNETs including insulinoma, gastrinoma, glucagonoma, and VIPoma; resection of non-functioning PNETs; enucleation for small, superficial PNETs; distal pancreatectomy and Whipple procedure for larger or malignant PNETs; coordination with endocrinology for perioperative hormonal management and somatostatin analogue therapy
Why International Patients Choose Dr. Cai Duan and Changhai Hospital
International patients seek pancreatic surgical consultation with Dr. Cai Duan and Changhai Hospital for reasons that reflect both the technical excellence of the pancreatic surgery program and the depth of multidisciplinary support available at the department.
For patients with pancreatic cancer — particularly borderline resectable tumors involving the portal vein or superior mesenteric vein, or tumors that have been deemed unresectable at lower-volume centers — Changhai Hospital's multidisciplinary pancreatic tumor board and Dr. Cai's experience with vascular resection and reconstruction provide a reassessment of resectability that frequently identifies surgical options not previously considered. The availability of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and SBRT for conversion of borderline resectable tumors, combined with Dr. Cai's technical capability for vascular resection and reconstruction, means that patients who have been told their pancreatic cancer is inoperable may find that curative resection is achievable at Changhai Hospital.
For patients with chronic pancreatitis and intractable pain who have not responded to endoscopic management, Dr. Cai's expertise in the full range of surgical options for chronic pancreatitis — including the Frey procedure, Beger procedure, and total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation — provides access to surgical pain relief that is available at only a small number of centers in China. The close integration of the pancreatic surgery and therapeutic endoscopy programs at Changhai Hospital enables a truly multidisciplinary approach to chronic pancreatitis management, with endoscopic and surgical options considered together rather than sequentially.
The cost of pancreatic surgical consultation and surgery at Changhai Hospital is substantially below that of equivalent care in Western healthcare systems, and access to specialist consultation can typically be arranged within days through CMCS.
What to Expect at Your Consultation
Consultations with Dr. Cai Duan at Changhai Hospital arranged through CMCS begin with a comprehensive review of all prior pancreatic and biliary imaging — including CT abdomen with pancreatic protocol, MRCP, EUS reports and images, and PET-CT for staging where available — relevant laboratory investigations (CA 19-9, CEA, liver function tests, bilirubin, serum amylase and lipase), prior pathology results, prior ERCP and endoscopic intervention records, and the patient's pancreatic and oncological history. CMCS will arrange certified translation of all medical records and imaging reports in advance of the consultation.
Dr. Cai will assess the pancreatic or biliary pathology, evaluate surgical resectability and approach, outline the recommended treatment strategy — including the role and sequencing of surgery, neoadjuvant therapy, and adjuvant treatment — with detailed rationale, and coordinate multidisciplinary tumor board review. A written English-language consultation summary is provided after every appointment, and CMCS will facilitate direct communication between Dr. Cai's team and the patient's home oncologist or surgeon for continuity of care planning.
Book a Consultation Through CMCS
China Medical Concierge Shanghai (CMCS) provides comprehensive end-to-end support for international patients seeking pancreatic and hepatobiliary surgical consultation with Dr. Cai Duan at Changhai Hospital. Our services include priority consultation scheduling, certified medical record and imaging report translation, coordination of additional investigations including EUS and MRCP, on-site interpretation throughout the consultation, surgical logistics and hospital admission coordination, and written English-language reporting of all findings and recommendations. CMCS will also facilitate direct communication between Dr. Cai's team and the patient's home physicians to ensure seamless continuity of care.
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