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Updated: Jan 1, 2026
DIPLOMA Approach for Standardized Pathology Assessment of Distal Pancreatectomy Specimens
Published on: February 1, 2020
Does tumor size influence the outcome of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy?
Airazat M Kazaryan1, Ingeborg Solberg2, Davit L Aghayan3
1Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Østfold Hospital Trust, Grålum, Norway; Intervention Centre, Oslo University Hospital - Rikshospitalet, Oslo, Norway; Department of Faculty Surgery N2, I.M.Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russia; Department of Surgery N1, Yerevan State Medical University After M. Heratsi, Yerevan, Armenia.
Background:
Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP) is a safe procedure, but its role in resection of large pancreatic lesions has been questioned.
Methods:
Patients who underwent LDP for pancreatic solitary tumors in 1997-2017 were included in this study. The patients were divided into three groups in accordance with tumor size: <3.5 cm (group I); from 3.5 cm to 7.0 cm (group II), and ≥7 cm (group III).
Results:
218, 146 and 58 patients were identified in the groups I, II and III. Median tumor size in the groups I, II and III was 20, 47 and 81.5 mm (p < 0.001). Nine procedures (2.1%) were converted including 1(0.5%), 5(3.4%) and 3(5.2%) in the groups I, II and III (p = 0.036). Median operative time was longer in the group III compared with the groups I and II - 195 vs 158 and 159 min (p = 0.005). Median blood loss did not differ. Regression analysis revealed correlation between tumor size and operative time (R = 0.103; P = 0.035) and no correlation between tumor size and blood loss (R = 0.075; P = 0.125). Hospital stay was 5 days, similar in all groups.Postoperative morbidity was similar - 38.5, 32 and 34% in the group I, II and III.
Conclusion:
LDP can be safely performed laparoscopically with outcomes similar to those for smaller tumors.
