The Current State of Minimally Invasive Distal Pancreatectomy

Since its advent nearly 15 years ago, minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy has gradually increased in popularity. Numerous reports have now documented the safety and feasibility of the laparoscopic approach to left-sided pancreas resections, and large-scale comparisons have been made between the laparoscopic and open approaches regarding perioperative outcomes for both benign and malignant lesions. Furthermore, several highvolume centers have described their initial experiences with robotic distal pancreatectomy in comparison with laparoscopic and open resections. This review summarizes the literature for both laparoscopic and robotic distal pancreatectomy over the past year, highlighting novel advances. Although studies suggest that minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy is equivalent if not superior to the open approach in some respects, randomized studies are needed to best delineate the putative benefits.