title: Robotic-Assisted Approach Improves Vessel Preservation in Spleen-Preserving Distal Pancreatectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vessel-preserving spleen preservation (SP) during distal pancreatectomy (DP) is supposed to be beneficial for patients with benign and borderline tumors. This study evaluated the first experiences with robotic-assisted laparoscopic DP (RA-LDP) and its rate of vessel preservation and SP compared to conventional laparoscopic DP (C-LDP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients scheduled for spleen-preserving DP for benign or borderline tumors by either C-LDP or RA-LDP were retrieved from a prospective database and retrospectively analyzed regarding vessel-preservation and SP, conversion rate, blood loss, operating time, complications, perioperative blood transfusion, postoperative hospital stay (PHS) and mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-nine patients underwent C-LDP and 12 patients underwent RA-LDP between September 2009 and May 2015. SP rates were 79% (23 of 29) in the C-LDP and 92% (11 of 12) in the RA-LDP group (p = 0.32). Splenic vessels could be preserved in 17% (5 of 29) of the C-LDP and 50% (6 of 12) of the RA-LDP group (p = 0.052). Operating time, intraoperative blood loss, the number of perioperative red blood cell transfusions, overall morbidity and the rate of postoperative pancreatic fistulas were not different between the groups. PHS was shorter in the RA-LDP group (10.5 vs. 13 days; p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RA-LDP for benign or borderline tumors of the pancreas is a safe procedure and tended to be associated with a better vessel-preservation rate, thereby making it a good alternative to C-LDP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Visceral, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital of Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eckhardt
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schicker
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maurer
authors.forename: Volker
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fendrich
authors.forename: Detlef K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Bartsch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D059351:Organ Sparing Treatments; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D010185:Pancreatic Fistula / Q000209:etiology*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D013154:Spleen / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult