Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Oct 7, 2013; 19(37): 6272-6277
Published online Oct 7, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i37.6272
Laparoscopic vs open distal pancreatectomy for solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas
Ren-Chao Zhang, Jia-Fei Yan, Xiao-Wu Xu, Ke Chen, Harsha Ajoodhea, Yi-Ping Mou
Ren-Chao Zhang, Jia-Fei Yan, Xiao-Wu Xu, Ke Chen, Harsha Ajoodhea, Yi-Ping Mou, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang Province, China
Author contributions: Zhang RC and Mou YP designed the study; Zhang RC, Yan JF and Xu XW, Chen K collected and analyzed the data; Zhang RC and Ajoodhea H wrote the manuscript; Mou YP proofread and revised the manuscript; all authors approved the version to be published.
Supported by The Key Project Grant from the Science and Technology Department of Zhejiang Province, No. 2011C13036-2
Correspondence to: Yi-Ping Mou, MD, FACS, Department of General Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 3 East Qingchun Road, Hangzhou 310016, Zhejiang Province, China. mouyp@srrsh.com
Telephone: +86-571-86006952 Fax: +86-571-86044817
Received: June 8, 2013
Revised: August 3, 2013
Accepted: August 28, 2013
Published online: October 7, 2013
Processing time: 132 Days and 7.1 Hours
Abstract

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

METHODS: 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.

RESULTS: 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.

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

Keywords: Solid pseudopapillary tumor; Pancreatic tumor; Laparoscopic surgery; Distal pancreatectomy

Core tip: Solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) of the pancreas is a rare neoplasm. Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP) and open distal pancreatectomy (ODP) for SPT have not previously been compared. We compared the short-term and long-term outcomes among patients undergoing either LDP or ODP for SPT. Our results showed that LDP for SPT had the advantages of minimally invasive surgery, less intraoperative blood loss, and rapid recovery. The mortality, morbidity, oncological outcome, and long-term outcome of LDP were similar to those of open surgery.