Recent advances in operative techniques for pancreatic surgery

Introduction Pancreatic resections are one of the most complex operations in visceral surgery, characterized by high perioperative morbidity and mortality. Continuous evaluation and adjustment of surgical techniques and approaches are required to improve the quality of surgery and outcomes in this highly vulnerable collective of patients. Content In this short narrative review we will discuss exemplary three recent advances in pancreatic surgery. Summary and Outlook A systematic literature search was performed using the PubMed database. The three discussed promising developments in pancreatic surgery are the triangle operation, a radical resection of lymphatic and nerve tissue in patients with pancreatic cancer, autologous patches for covering skeletonized arteries after resection to reduce frequent postoperative complications, and minimal invasive surgical approaches, which offer potential benefits in reduced intraoperative blood loss, shorter hospital stay and lower rate of wound infections compared to open resections. These three new operative approaches represent promising advances in a demanding surgical field. However, further studies are needed to confirm the benefits of these techniques on patient outcomes.