Laparoscopic Distal Pancreatectomy in Children: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Background Laparoscopic resection of benign tumors of the pancreas has been reported in adults, but only four cases of partial laparoscopic pancreatectomy in children have been described in the English-language literature. Methods We describe the case of an 11-year-old girl with a solid pseudopapillary tumor who was treated with a laparoscopic, spleen-preserving, distal pancreatectomy. The specimen was extracted in an endoscopic bag retrieval system through a Pfannenstiel incision. Operative time was 120 minutes, and minimal blood loss occurred. The literature is reviewed. Results The postoperative course was uneventful. Twenty-two months after the operation, clinical follow-up (including assessment of exocrine and endocrine pancreatic function) revealed nothing abnormal. The functional and aesthetic results were satisfactory. Conclusions The technique used for our case is simple and reproducible, was completed safely within a reasonable operative time, and yielded a good result.