Case-control comparison of laparoscopic versus open distal pancreatectomy

Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy is becoming an increasingly used modality in the surgical treatment of pancreatic disease. The assumption is that this will lead to shorter hospitalization and faster recovery. However, actual comparative data between open and laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy is lacking. The purpose of this study is to compare these surgical procedures. All patients who underwent either laparoscopic or open distal pancreatectomy/splenectomy were reviewed. Fifteen patients underwent laparoscopic resection, whereas 41 underwent an open resection. The 15 laparoscopic patients were matched to 15 open patients for age, gender, and pancreatic pathology. Data gathered included length of stay, pancreatic leak, postoperative complications, and return to normal activity. Of the 15 laparoscopic patients, three were converted to open operations. Laparoscopic patients had a median length of stay of 5 days (range, 3-9) compared with 8 days (range, 6-23) for the open patients (P = 0.02). The pancreatic leak rate was 13% in each group. Overall postoperative complication rate was 20% in the laparoscopic group compared with 27% in the open group. Laparoscopic patients reported a return to normal activity in 3 weeks (range, 2-7) compared with 6 weeks (range, 4-10) for open patients (P = 0.03). Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy/splenectomy does lead to shorter hospital stay and faster return to normal activity. Pancreatic leak rate and overall complication rate appear similar.