Comparison of Outcomes With Stapler Versus Hand-Sewn Closure After Minimally Invasive Distal Pancreatectomy

Comparison of Outcomes With Stapler Versus Hand-Sewn Closure of the Pancreatic Stump Following Minimally Invasive Distal Pancreatectomy: A Retrospective Cohort Study

The incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) after Distal pancreatectomy (DP) remains high. Of the available mitigation strategies, high-quality closure of the pancreatic stump is fundamental.

Researchers failed to find a decrease in the incidence of POPF after stapler closure of the pancreatic stump compared with that related to hand-sewn suture in DP. Minimally invasive DP (MDP) is becoming the first choice for patients and surgeons, few studies have evaluated whether stapler closure is superior to hand-sewn suture for stump closure in MDP.

Therefore, this retrospective study was aimed at evaluating the effect of stapler versus hand-sewn closure on the incidence of POPF after MDP.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Underwent elective minimally invasive pancreatic body and tail resection with or without splenectomy

Exclusion Criteria:

• Incomplete medical records
• History of previous pancreatic operations
• Emergent operation
• Conversion to open pancreatectomy
• Receipt of wedge resection or other procedures