Robot-assisted distal pancreatectomy with spleen preservation in the treatment of a child with a solid pseudopapillary tumor

Abstract

The use of robots in pancreatic surgery offers several advantages as an adjunct to laparoscopic surgery, including increased maneuverability of robotic instruments and three-dimensional (3D) visualization. To our knowledge, only two cases of robot-assisted distal pancreatectomy with spleen preservation in children have been reported worldwide. In this study, the patient was an 11-year-old boy who was admitted to a children’s hospital with complaints of recurrent upper abdominal pain. He was diagnosed with pancreatic tumor based on ultrasound findings. It was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging, which revealed a well-defined heterogeneous formation at the border of the body and tail of the pancreas, measuring 2.28 × 2.73 × 2.62 cm with compression of the Wirsung duct. The surgical intervention was performed using a surgical robot VERSIUS (CMR, (UK). Splenic vessels were mobilized carefully, a tourniquet was placed around the body of the pancreas, and it was intersected using a stapler at the border of healthy tissue. The surgical intervention took 340 min, including robot installation time (docking time) of 15 min and a main console time of 325 min. No serious intraoperative complications, such as bleeding or damage to the vascular structures adjacent to the pancreas (branches of the celiac trunk and portal vein), were noted. Histological examination of the tumor confirmed the diagnosis of a solid pseudopapillary tumor. After surgery, the patient’s condition was stable. Recovery proceeded without complications. Magnetic resonance imaging of the abdominal cavity, which was performed 6 months after surgery, revealed no signs of disease recurrence. Robot-assisted surgery is an acceptable alternative to laparoscopic and open surgery for patients with solid pseudopapillary pancreatic tumors because robots offer additional connections, enable closure in improved 3D imaging, increase dexterity when handling instruments, and eliminate of hand tremors.