Pancreaticoduodenectomy, often referred to as the Whipple procedure, is a complex surgical operation used primarily to treat pancreatic cancer by removing the head of the pancreas, the duodenum, a portion of the bile duct, and sometimes part of the stomach. It requires meticulous surgical expertise due to the intricate anatomy and the high risk of complications, and it remains the only potential curative treatment for tumors in this region.