Distal Pancreatectomy With Partial Splenectomy for Pancreatic Tumors

Most resectable tumors arising in the body or tail of the pancreas are malignancies or premalignancies which are surgically treated with distal pancreatectomy in combination with splenectomy. Retrieval of the lymph node tissue which lies along the splenic vessels is necessary to complete an oncologically sound operation. Two techniques for spleen preserving distal pancreatectomy have been described, but only a small number of lesions are amenable to spleen preserving pancreas surgery because these operation compromise oncologic principles. Removal of a normal spleen usually does not cause immediate consequences but can make patients vulnerable to life threatening infections. Asplenic patients must be vigilant for these infections and antibiotic prophylaxis is recommended anytime a fever occurs. Splenectomy results in measurable changes in the cellular components of the blood. If thrombocytosis occurs as a result of splenectomy, it requires life-long antiplatelet treatment. Some childhood hematologic disorders such as hereditary spherocytosis are successfully treated with partial splenectomy. The post-surgical remnant spleen has been shown to be viable and functional. Both hematologic and immunologic function of the spleen seems to be preserved in most patients. Partial splenectomy has also been successful ly employed to treat benign and malignant lesions of the spleen. Unfortunately these indications for surgery are rare and so the experience with partial splenectomy is small. To date, distal pancreatectomy with partial splenectomy has not been described in the medical literature. The investigators have devised a surgical procedure combining distal pancreatectomy with partial splenectomy, in principal allowing preservation of splenic function without compromise of oncologic principles. This procedure is possible now because of new technology which allows for near bloodless transection of solid organs. These instruments are routinely used in liver, kidney and pancreas surgery. There are scattered reports of successful use of these instruments in splenic transection, but there is no large experience to date. The study intends to answer the question, is the proposed procedure, distal pancreatectomy and partial splenectomy, a viable alternative to the current standard of care, distal pancreatectomy with total splenectomy, for patients who will undergo surgical treatment of pancreas lesions arising in the body or tail of the pancreas?