Recent advances in pancreatic surgery

Abstract

Purpose of review: To appraise the recent literature dealing with important advances in the field of pancreatic surgery.

Recent findings: Surgical care for pancreatic cancer patients remains fractured, with imperfect patient selection and ongoing bias in referral patterns based on socioeconomic factors. Analysis of readmissions after pancreatectomy reveals it to be a poor quality of care metric. More extensive pancreatic resections lead to higher morbidity. Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm and pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor biology affect patient outcomes and suggest the need for better diagnostic approaches for these entities. Perioperative drainage still has a role during Whipple pancreaticoduodenectomy on the basis of the results of a randomized controlled trial. Laparoscopic and robotic approaches married with new emerging technologies have the potential to transform the practice of pancreatic surgery.

Summary: Pancreatic surgery is a rapidly evolving field with the promise to significantly improve outcomes for patients with a variety of pancreatic diseases in the future.