April 2008

Dr. Kooby's Study finds that Minimally Invasive Pancreas Surgery Leads to Fewer Complications

As reported in US News and World Report, the Washington Post, and Science Daily, Dr. David Kooby will present the data culled from his study of laparoscopic pancreactomy at the Annual Meeting of the American Surgical Association in New York, April 24 and 26.

The study involved Dr. Kooby and colleagues at eight universities across the Midwest and Southeast collecting information on more than 660 left pancreatectomies, where part of the pancreas is removed, from 2002 to 2006. Approximately a quarter of the procedures were done laparoscopically. Dr. Kooby and his team concluded that performing the operation with minimally invasive techniques offers patients shorter hospital stays and fewer complications.

During laparoscopic surgery, doctors make smaller incisions than in traditional surgery and monitor their progress with fiber optics and video cameras. The less invasive approach has become well accepted for gallstone removal, repair of stomach valves and weight loss surgery, Dr. Kooby says.

"Data on patient outcomes has been scarce when it comes to extending this approach to the surgical care of other organs," he says. "Still, more surgeons and institutions are doing these procedures and more patients and referring doctors are requesting them. Our study shows that this approach is not only viable but may be preferable for the pancreas."

About half the operations had complications, and a sixth had a leak of pancreatic fluid, the researchers found. Laparoscopic procedures had fewer complications (40 percent v. 57 percent) than standard surgery, and patients experienced lower blood loss and stayed about six days in the hospital compared with the standard nine.

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