Background: Pancreatic fistula is a major problem in minimal invasive surgery of the pancreas. To prevent the disruption of the pancreatic duct, the surgeon must recognize the site of the pancreatic duct exactly.
Methods: We reviewed the cases of 7 patients who underwent preoperative endoscopic pancreatic stenting for the prophylaxis of pancreatic fistula development after enucleation of a benign pancreatic head tumor.
Results: Preoperative endoscopic pancreatic stenting was successfully performed in all 7 patients. The level of serum amylase increased to 1500 IU/L on postoperative day 1, but levels recovered to normal within 3 days. None of the patients developed a pancreatic fistula.
Conclusions: Preoperative pancreatic duct stenting is a feasible, effective, and safe technique to prevent pancreatic duct disruption during enucleation of a benign tumor of the pancreatic head.