Spleen-preserving total pancreatectomy with conservation of the spleen vessels:: operative technique and possible indications

Conventional distal pancreatectomy (cDP) and total pancreatectomy (cTP) also involve removal of the spleen. The spleen, however, is an important organ in the immunologic defense of the host and is worthy of preservation if this can be safely achieved. We performed a spleen-preserving total pancreatectomy (SPTP), with good results, in a Caucasian woman, 66-year-old, affected by pancreatic metastases of renal clear cell carcinoma. This is the first report of a SPTP for pancreatic metastases to our knowledge, and we therefore wish to describe the surgical technique and to suggest the possible indications for this new technique.