Spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy: perioperative and long-term outcome analysis.
OBJECTIVE
Despite the emphasis on its role, the spleen has commonly been removed in distal pancreatectomy. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of spleen salvage during distal pancreatectomy for patients with benign and borderline malignant tumors.


METHODS
82 patients underwent distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy (DPS) and 78 patients underwent spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (SPDP). Medical records were retrospectively reviewed.


RESULTS
There were no significant differences in demographics, final diagnoses estimated blood loss, intraoperative transfusion and operative time between the two groups. More perioperative complications occurred in DPS group than in the SPDP group (p = 0.0344). Consequently, postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter in SPDP group than in DPS group (p = 0.0273). On the follow-up survey, episodes of common cold or flu were apparently more frequent in the DPS group (p = 0.047). More patients in the DPS group felt fatigue (p = 0.0481) and poorer health condition (p = 0.0371). Less newly developed (p = 0.0193) and aggravated diabetes mellitus (p = 0.0361) were also observed in SPDP group.


CONCLUSIONS
In addition to frequent higher-grade complications, and prolonged hospital stays, DPS appeared to result in poorer health condition based on follow-up survey. Even an effort to preserve adult spleen in distal pancreatectomy is worthwhile.
Wen Ming
WM
Feng
Cheng Wu
CW
Tang
Ying
Y
Bao
Mao Yun
MY
Fei
Yu Long
YL
Tao
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059351:Organ Sparing Treatments; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013154:Spleen / Q000601:surgery; D013156:Splenectomy; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome