Background
Owing to the advancements in technology along with increased laparoscopic experience’s curve, advanced laparoscopic surgeries including distal pancreatectomy can be easily performed with acceptable oncologic results, and decreased mortality and morbidity. We describe our early experience with laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP) in the management of pancreatic cystic lesions.
Patients and methods
We included patients with pancreatic cystic lesions who underwent LDP and followed up in our center between May 2015 and October 2020. The patients were divided into two groups according to the procedure performed: laparoscopic splenic-preservation distal pancreatectomy (LSPDP) group and LDP with splenectomy.
Results
Twenty-seven patients were included of whom 19 patients underwent LSPDP and eight patients underwent LDP with splenectomy. The LSPDP group demonstrated longer operative duration than LDP/splenectomy group, but less estimated blood loss. Moreover, LSPDP had shorter hospital stay and less postoperative complications. The overall morbidity was 18.51% with no mortality, and no recurrence of the lesion was detected in the follow-up period.
Discussion
LDP is an acceptable modality in management of patients with pancreatic cystic lesions with an acceptable complication rate.