Safe and quick distal pancreatectomy using a staggered six-row stapler.
BACKGROUND
The use of stapling devices for distal pancreatectomy remains controversial, due to concerns about the development of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) and hemorrhage.


METHODS
We report herein the usefulness of the Endo SGIA stapler (Tyco Healthcare, Norwalk, CT) for distal pancreatectomy by placing 2 triple-staggered rows, ie, 6 rows of staples in the pancreatic stump. The pancreas was divided together with both the splenic artery and vein with Endo SGIA in 7 consecutive hand-assisted laparoscopic distal pancreatectomies.


RESULTS
No patients developed clinically significant POPF or postoperative hemorrhage. None of the patients had complications that may have influenced the length of hospital stay.


CONCLUSIONS
The 6-row Endo SGIA stapler allows quick and effective prevention of POPF after distal pancreatectomy.
Misawa
Takeyuki
T
Department of Surgery, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. take-misawa@jikei.ac.jp
Shiba
Hiroaki
H
Usuba
Teruyuki
T
Nojiri
Takuya
T
Uwagawa
Tadashi
T
Ishida
Yuichi
Y
Ishii
Yuji
Y
Yanaga
Katsuhiko
K
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D013528:Surgical Staplers; D017792:Surgical Stapling