Laparoscopic versus open distal pancreatectomy for benign and low-grade malignant lesions of the pancreas: a single-center comparative study

Purpose The purpose of the study was to compare the outcomes of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP) and open distal pancreatectomy (ODP) for benign and low-grade malignant lesions to determine the safety and efficacy of LDP. Methods This retrospective comparative study included 67 consecutive patients who underwent LDP ( n = 32) and ODP ( n = 35) for benign or low-grade malignant lesions of the pancreas from January 2012 to March 2017. Thirty-five patients who were eligible for LDP in the ODP group were carefully selected. The clinical outcomes were compared in an intention-to-treat analysis. Results LDP was associated with significantly less operative blood loss (182 ± 232 vs. 505 ± 376 ml, P