Single-port laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy: initial experience.

Area of Science:

• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Surgical Oncology
• Gastrointestinal Surgery

Background:

• Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy is standard for pancreatic tail tumors.
• Single-port laparoscopic surgery offers a minimally invasive alternative.
• This study evaluates single-port laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the outcomes of single-port versus conventional laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy.
• To assess the safety and efficacy of the single-port approach for pancreatic tail neoplasms.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 40 patients with pancreatic tail masses (2007-2013).
• Comparison of conventional laparoscopic (n=28) and single-port laparoscopic (n=12) distal pancreatectomy.
• Analysis of surgical time, hospital stay, spleen preservation, blood loss, and complications.

Main Results:

• Single-port surgery had longer mean surgery time (279.8 min) and hospital stay (12.2 days) compared to conventional (186.9 min, 8.3 days).
• Spleen preservation was lower in the single-port group (33.3%) vs. conventional (60.7%), though not statistically significant.
• No significant differences were found in intraoperative blood loss, tumor size, conversion rates, or postoperative complications.

Conclusions:

• Single-port laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy demonstrates comparable blood loss and complication rates to conventional laparoscopic surgery.
• The technique is safe and effective for selected patients with pancreas tail neoplasms.
• Longer operative times and hospital stays are associated with the single-port approach.