Laparoscopic long sleeve pancreaticogastrostomy (LPG): a novel pancreatic anastomosis following central pancreatectomy.

BACKGROUND Central pancreatectomy (CP) is preferred to distal pancreatectomy (DP) for the excision of benign tumours at the neck or body of the pancreas, in order to preserve pancreatic function and the spleen. However, the pancreaticoenterostomy is technically difficult to perform laparoscopically and the postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) rate is high. METHODS A novel laparoscopic reconstruction of the pancreatic stump during CP is described, the laparoscopic long sleeve pancreaticogastrostomy (LPG). RESULTS Two males and two females with a median age of 49 years had a laparoscopic CP with LPG. After a median follow-up of 27.5 months, there was no mortality. One patient had a grade A POPF, managed conservatively. CONCLUSIONS The LPG is a safe and technically less demanding method to reconstruct pancreatic drainage laparoscopically.