The impact of splenectomy on outcomes after distal and total pancreatectomy

BACKGROUND: Several authors advocate spleen preserving distal pancreatectomy, because of the increased complication rate after splenectomy. METHODS: Postoperative complications and survival after distal and total pancreatectomy, were recorded and retrospectively analyzed according to spleen preservation. Patients, who underwent distal and total pancreatectomy without histologically proven adenocarcinoma, or extrapancreatic disease, were included in the cohort which was divided into splenectomy and no splenectomy groups. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher's test. RESULTS: The study group consisted of 62 patients who underwent distal and total pancreatectomy between 26/11/1987 to 6/1/2006. Splenectomy was performed in 35 out of 62 patients (56.5%), distal pancreatectomy was performed in 49 out of 62 patients (79%). Morbidity rate was 28.6% in splenectomy group and 14.8% in the no splenectomy group (p = 0.235), while 30 days mortality rate was 2.9%; one patient died in the splenectomy group (p = 1). CONCLUSION: Spleen-preservation did not influence the outcomes after distal and total pancreatectomy in our series.