Laparoscopic vs open distal pancreatectomy for solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas

To compare short- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic vs open distal pancreatectomy for solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of the pancreas.

This retrospective study included 28 patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy for SPT of the pancreas between 1998 and 2012. The patients were divided into two groups based on the surgical approach: the laparoscopic surgery group and the open surgery group. The patients' demographic data, operative results, pathological reports, hospital courses, morbidity and mortality, and follow-up data were compared between the two groups.

Fifteen patients with SPT of the pancreas underwent laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP), and 13 underwent open distal pancreatectomy (ODP). Baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups except for a female predominance in the LDP group (100.0% vs 69.2%, P = 0.035). Mortality, morbidity (33.3% vs 38.5%, P = 1.000), pancreatic fistula rates (26.7% vs 30.8%, P = 0.728), and reoperation rates (0.0% vs 7.7%, P = 0.464) were similar in the two groups. There were no significant differences in the operating time (171 min vs 178 min, P = 0.755) between the two groups. The intraoperative blood loss (149 mL vs 580 mL, P = 0.002), transfusion requirement (6.7% vs 46.2%, P = 0.029), first flatus time (1.9 d vs 3.5 d, P = 0.000), diet start time (2.3 d vs 4.9 d, P = 0.000), and postoperative hospital stay (8.1 d vs 12.8 d, P = 0.029) were significantly less in the LDP group than in the ODP group. All patients had negative surgical margins at final pathology. There were no significant differences in number of lymph nodes harvested (4.6 vs 6.4, P = 0.549) between the two groups. The median follow-up was 33 (3-100) mo for the LDP group and 45 (17-127) mo for the ODP group. All patients were alive with one recurrence.

LDP for SPT has short-term benefits compared with ODP. Long-term outcomes of LDP are similar to those of ODP.