Clinical feasibility analysis of reducing the incidence of pancreatic fistula after laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy by using a pancreatic duct stent to occlude the residual main pancreatic duct

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and potential advantages of a novel technique for sealing the residual main pancreatic duct by inserting a stent into the distal pancreatic duct during laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy. A retrospective analysis was performed on patients who underwent laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy at our institution between June 2021 and June 2023. A total of 38 patients were included, with 18 undergoing the novel sealing technique and 20 receiving conventional methods (control group). Postoperative outcomes, including the overall incidence of pancreatic fistula, the incidence of grade B and C fistulas, time to drain removal, length of hospital stay, and other short-term clinical parameters, were statistically compared between the two groups. The overall pancreatic fistula incidence was 72.2% in the experimental group and 65.0% in the control group, with no statistically significant difference between the two groups. However, the incidence of grade B and C pancreatic fistulas in the experimental group was 11.1%, which was significantly lower than the 45.0% observed in the control group ( P = 0.033). Additionally, the average operative time, postoperative abdominal drain removal time, and hospital stay were all significantly shorter in the experimental group compared to the control group. No significant differences were observed in other perioperative outcome measures between the two groups. The novel technique for sealing the residual pancreatic duct demonstrates safety and feasibility, and contributes to improved patient outcomes.