Robot-assisted spleen preserving pancreatic surgery in MEN1 patients

Background: Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) patients often undergo multiple pancreatic operations at a young age. Objective: To describe robot-assisted and laparoscopic spleen-preserving pancreatic surgery in MEN1 patients, and to compare both techniques. Methods: Robot-assisted pancreatectomies of the DutchMEN1 study group and the Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France were compared to a historical cohort of laparoscopic treated MEN1 patients. Perioperative outcomes were compared. Results: A total of 21 MEN1 patients underwent minimally invasive pancreatic surgery for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, seven patients were subjected to robot-assisted surgery, and 14 patients underwent laparoscopic surgery. Demographics and clinical characteristics did not differ between the cohorts and no significant differences in operative outcomes were found. A high number of ISGPS grade B/C pancreatic fistulas were observed in both cohorts (38%), and no conversions were seen in the robot-assisted cohort (respectively 0% vs. 43%, P = 0.06). In one laparoscopic and one robot-assisted case the primary tumor was not resected. Conclusions: Minimally invasive spleen-preserving surgery in MEN1 patients is safe and feasible. Patients who underwent robot-assisted surgery did not require conversion to open surgery.