Staple-free robotic distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy

Abstract

Minimally invasive surgery has slowly gained popularity in the field of hepatopancreatobiliary surgery in the last few years. This is likely due to shorter length of stay, less estimated blood loss and postoperative pain, quicker recovery, and better cosmetic results. The laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy is associated with less overall morbidity and considered as the standard of care for selected patients. Robotic distal pancreatectomy (RDP) not only maintains the benefits of the laparoscopic approach, but also adds potential benefits. In this article, we describe the operative technique of an entirely staple-free RDP with splenectomy. The method is presented in a stepwise approach along with a concise video. The patient presented is a 58-year-old male with a well-differentiated neuroendocrine tumor involving the body of the pancreas; no major blood vessel involvement.