Objective：To evaluate the feasibility and safety of spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy.
Methods：From February 2006 to Agust 2010, a total of 16 patients with benign or junctional tumor in the body and tail of pancreas underwent spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (SPDP) at our center. Of the patients, 15 cases underwent SPDP with conservation of splenic vessels and one case with dissection of splenic vessels.
Results： Postoperative complications included 9 cases of pancreatic fistula, one case of wound infection, 3 cases of abdominal bleeding (one case of bleeding due to pancreatic fistula), and 2 cases of pleural effussion. Of the 9 patients with pancreatic fistula, 8 of them healed within 3 to 7 weeks by nonsurgical treatment, while one case complicated with hemorrhage underwent digital subtraction angiography and splenic arterial embolization to stop bleeding, and recovered at the 17th week postoperatively. In another 2 cases of intraabdominal bleeding, one was controlled with nonsurgical treatment, the an other one underwent reoperation and ligation of a branch of the splenic vein that was bleeding. There was no mortality in this group.
Conclusions：SPDP can be used as first choice for patients with benign or junctional tumor of distal pancreas, and is a safe procedure with satisfactory results.