Minimally invasive approaches for pancreatic resections are being increasingly utilized at highly specialized centers. Both laparoscopic and robotic techniques appear to be associated with improved short-term outcomes such as decreased morbidity and shorter hospital stay. However, there are still concerns with regards to cost-effectiveness and technical training, which have prevented widespread dissemination of these techniques. For pancreatic surgery, both laparoscopic and robotic techniques have gained acceptance for all pancreatic resections, most notably in distal pancreatectomy where minimally invasive approaches have become the standard of care at high-volume centers. This chapter discusses the preoperative considerations and operative techniques of minimally invasive pancreatic surgery while also reviewing the current literature detailing short-term and long-term outcomes.
This review contains 46 references, 6 figures, 5 tables, and 2 videos.
Key Words: clinical trials, laparoscopic, minimally invasive, morbidity, mortality, oncologic outcomes, open, pancreatic cancer, robot-assisted