Randomized trial of short-term outcomes after laparoscopic versus open pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Prof. Renyi Qin

The safety and efficacy of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remain controversial. A noninferiority, open-label clinical trial at 10 hospitals in China included PDAC 200 patients who were randomized to laparoscopic or open surgery. Laparoscopic surgery yielded similar shor-term outcomes to open surgery, with comparable postoperative length of stay, postoperative surgical complication, number of nodes harvested, and 90-day mortality. The authors conclude that for experienced pancreatic surgeons, performing laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy in resectable pancreatic cancer was technically safe and did not increase the risk of intraoperative and postoperative complications (visual abstract).