LAPAROSCOPIC DISTAL PANCREATECTOMY WITH OR WITHOUT SPLEEN PRESERVATION: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SHORT AND LONG-TERM OUTCOMES

ABSTRACT Background: Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP) is the preferred approach for resection of tumors in the distal pancreas because of its many advantages over the open approach. Aim: To analyse and compare short and long-term outcomes from LDP performed through two different techniques: with splenectomy vs. spleen preservation and splenic vessel preservation. Method: Fifty-eight patients were operated and subsequently divided between two groups: Group 1, LDP with splenectomy (LDPS); and Group 2, LDP with spleen preservation and preservation of splenic vessels (LDPSPPSV). Results: The epidemiological characteristics were statistically similar between the two groups (age, gender, BMI and lesion size). Both the mean of operative time (p=0.04) and the mean of intra-operative blood loss (p=0,03) were higher in Group 1. The mean of resected lymph nodes was also higher in Group 1 (p