To summarized the experience in laparoscopic duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection (LDPPHR).

The clinical data of four patients who underwent LDPPHR from February 2017 to June 2018 in Hunan Provincial People’s Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The Clinical characteristics, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, biliary fistula rate, pancreatic fistula rate and follow-up data were analyzed.

The four patients included one patient with a solid pseudopapillary tumor and three patients with a serous cystadenoma. Two patients underwent duodenum-preserving total pancreatic head resection, and two patients underwent duodenum-preserving subtotal pancreatic head resection. The operation time of the four patients was (525.8±121.8) minutes, and the blood loss (250.0±191.5) ml. Biliary duct drainage was carried out in 2 patients: one patient developed biochemical bile leakage, while another had no postoperative complication. The two patients without biliary drainage developed grade B pancreatic leakage, delayed bile leakage, abdominal bleeding and infection. All the three patients who developed postoperative complications were treated conservatively and they recovered well.

LDPPHR was designed to better preserve the integrity and function of digestive tract. However, the perioperative complications were high. This operation should only be carried out in large pancreatic centers. Routine biliary drainage is recommended to surgeons with little experience in this operation.

Laparoscopes; Pancreatic leakage; Bile leakage; Duodenum preserving pancreatic head resection