Initial Experiences using Robot-assisted Distal Pancreatectomy: A Single Institution Study of 28 Patients

Abstract

Purpose: Surgical procedures using robot-assisted surgery, including pancreatic surgery, have recently become popular. This study aimed to report our initial experiences with distal pancreatectomy procedures using the robot-assisted surgery system. Methods: The clinical records of 28 patients who underwent robot-assisted distal pancreatectomy (RDP) between July 2012 and January 2016 were reviewed. Results: Of the 28 patients, 5 (17.9%) were male and 23 (82.1%) were female. Their ages ranged from 11 to 78 years, with a median age of 44.5 years. The mean diameter of the pancreatic tumors was 3.6 cm. The median operative time was 192.5 (range, 100~390) minutes, and the median blood loss was 200 (range, 50~1,900) ml. All of the 28 RDPs were successfully completed. Spleen preservation was achieved in 16 (57.1%) patients. Clinically significant postoperative pancreatic fistula was detected in 4 (14.3%) patients. Postoperative complications were evident in 5 (17.9%) of the 28 patients. Conclusion: Our experiences suggest that RDP is feasible for patients with benign or borderline tumors at the body or tail of the pancreas. It may be considered as an effective surgical procedure for benign or borderline tumors of the pancreas in the future: however, further studies to confirm this are warranted.