Minimally invasive (laparoscopic and robot-assisted) approach for solid pseudopapillary tumor of the distal pancreas: a single-center experience.
OBJECTIVE
A single-institutional experiences of solid pseudopapillary tumor (SPT) in the distal pancreas were retrospectively reviewed with special reference to a minimally invasive approach.


METHODS
Thirty-five patients with SPT of the distal pancreas treated during the past 20 years were retrospectively evaluated. We divided the patients into 2 groups based on the surgical approach: the laparoscopic/robot-assisted surgery (LR) group and the conventional open surgery (O) group. We reviewed the chronological changes and characteristics of SPT. A comparative analysis of the two groups (LR vs. O) was conducted in terms of perioperative surgical outcomes.


RESULTS
The discovery of relatively small SPTs without symptoms seemed to be increasing (p < 0.05). Eleven of the 35 patients were assigned to the LR group. Ten patients were female and 1 was male, and they had a median age of 32 years (range 24-62 years) and a median tumor size of 3.6 cm (range 1-8.5 cm). Eight patients underwent laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy with or without splenectomy, and the remaining 3 underwent robot-assisted central pancreatectomy with pancreaticogastrostomy. In the comparative analysis of the LR and O groups, smaller tumor size, earlier oral intake, and shorter hospital stay, without increasing morbidity, were noted in the LR group (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
A minimally invasive (laparoscopic/robot-assisted) approach for SPT of the distal pancreas is thought to be more appropriate than and preferable to conventional open surgery in well-selected patients.
Kang
Chang Moo
CM
Division of Bilio-Pancreas, Department of Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 250 Seongsanno, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul 120-752, Korea.
Choi
Sung Hoon
SH
Hwang
Ho Kyoung
HK
Lee
Woo Jung
WJ
Chi
Hoon Sang
HS
D000328:Adult; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000601:surgery*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012371:Robotics; D013156:Splenectomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome