Left kidney mobilization technique during radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS)

Radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS) has been accepted as a standard operation for distal pancreatic cancer. While enbloc retroperitoneal dissection in the "medial to lateral" direction is one of the most important steps in this oncologic procedure, it is technically challenging due to the depth of organs under the left costal margin, and poor exposure of the resecting organs in this area will increase the risk of incomplete oncologic dissection.

To improve exposure of the left upper quadrant organs, left kidney was completely mobilized during RAMPS, and all the left upper quadrant organs were elevated and medialized by lap sponges packed in the retro-renal space. The operative and oncologic outcomes for patients who underwent our modified RAMPS with left kidney mobilization were evaluated.

One hundred and forty-four patients with distal pancreatic cancer underwent this procedure from 2005 through 2016. The median operation time was 310 min (range, 132-899), and blood loss was 440 ml (25-2430). There was no complication associated to left kidney mobilization. The median number of harvested lymph nodes was 27 (3-87). While 77% of the tumors had microscopic retroperitoneal invasion, 96% of patients achieved negative retroperitoneal margin.

Left kidney mobilization is useful for safe and oncologically sound lateral retroperitoneal dissection during RAMPS for distal pancreatic cancer.