OBJECTIVETo investigate the surgical and oncological outcomes after laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD), and compare its efficacy with open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD).

METHODSClinical data of 40 patients with malignant tumor undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy between January 2012 and January 2013 in our department were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into LPD and OPD group according to operative procedure. Operative time, blood loss, harvested lymph nodes, drainage on first postoperative day (POD1), first flatus day, time to liquid diet, postoperative period of fever, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative complications, and 1-year cumulative survival rate and recurrence rate were compared between the two groups.

RESULTSThere were no significant differences between the two groups in operative time, harvested lymph nodes, TNM stages, postoperative period of fever, time to drain removal, postoperative complications, 1-year cumulative survival rate and recurrence rate (all P>0.05). As compared to OPD group, LPD group showed less blood loss [(168.2±87.4) ml vs.(353.5±140.1) ml, P<0.001], drainage on POD1 [(157.7±69.7) ml vs. (289.1±197.0) ml, P=0.039], earlier flatus [(4.1±0.9) d vs. (6.6±3.4) d, P=0.024], shorter time to liquid diet [(5.8±1.3) d vs. (8.2±3.5) d, P=0.040], earlier ambulation [(3.6±1.4) d vs.(6.2±1.5) d, P<0.001], and shorter postoperative hospital stay [(17.0±2.2) d vs.(25.7±13.8) d, P=0.047].

CONCLUSIONLPD confers similar surgical and oncological outcomes and is superior to OPD in terms of decreased blood loss and rapid postoperative recovery.