[Laparoscopic pancreatic resection]

Over a long time laparascopy for pancreatic diseases was performed only as staging laparoscopy in order to find hidden metastasis. The laparoscopic pyloric preserving duodeno-pancreatectomy showed many problems and could not establish. Laparoscopic distal resection of pancreas is much more feasible due to lack of intestinal anastomoses. Anyway there is only few literature about laparoscopic left pancreatic resection found. We demonstrate our experiences in four cases of the last months.

In all four cases laparoscopic distal pancreatic resection was performed for tumor. In three cases the resection of the spleen was necessary. In another case we performed a laparoscopic hemifundoplicaton (DOR) for GERD in the same session. Histologic examination showed a neuroendocrine carcinoma, a serous-microcystic adenoma, a low differentiated ductal adenocarcinoma and an intraductal papillary-mucinous tumor of borderline type. Postoperative stay was between eight and ten days. There was no patient suffering from intra- or postoperative complications.

Laparoscopic resection of distal pancreas shows the common benefit of minimal invasive surgery for the early postoperative period and is an attractive alternative for treatment of benign and semimalign pancreatic tumors.