Technical Aspects and Results of Robot-Assisted Pancreatic Surgery

Abstract

Aim. To improve the results of treatment of patients with pancreatic diseases. Materials and Methods. For the period from 2010 to 2014 it was performed 59 robot-assisted pancreatic operations. There were distal pancreatectomy in 30 cases and pancreaticoduodenectomy in 12 cases including total pancreatoduodenectomy (1), central resection (5), tumor enucleations (12). The study included 48 (81.4%) females and 11 (19.6%) males. Median age was 48.4 ± 14.5 years. Results. Average operation time in case of ancreaticoduodenectomy, distal pancreatectomy, central resection and tumor enucleation was 463.1 ± 111.1, 218.0 ± 68.2, 253.0 ± 37.7 and 150.0 ± 49.0 minutes respectively. Postoperative complications arose in 24 (40.7%) cases including external pancreatic fistula in 19 patients, delayed gastric empty in 3 and arrosive hemorrhage in 2 cases. There was one death after robot-assisted pancreaticoduodenectomy. Conclusion. Indications for robot-assisted pancreatic surgery are malignant tumors T1–T2, neuroendocrine neoplasms and benign tumors with size not more than 5–6 cm. The use of robotic complex doesn’t prevent from specific postoperative complications definitive for pancreatic surgery.