Robotic Total Pancreatectomy: A Narrative Review

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIM: Studies on robotic total pancreatectomy (RTP) have been limited regardless of the increasing evidence on robotic pancreatoduodenectomy. The aim of this study was to review the current status of RTP in terms of surgical techniques and outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A literature search using PubMed was conducted to investigate surgical techniques and outcomes of RTP. RESULTS: A total of eight case series with 56 patients were included. The indications for RTP consisted of benign or pre-malignant tumors in 43 patients and malignant tumors in 13 patients. Surgical techniques included the "dividing technique" and "en-bloc technique". Regarding surgical outcomes, the rate of conversion to open total pancreatectomy was 3.6% and the incidence of major complications was 10.7%. CONCLUSION: Although evidence for RTP is still lacking, RTP is feasible for selected patients when performed in specialized centers. Further studies are essential to investigate the effectiveness of RTP compared to open total pancreatectomy.