Left Pancreatectomy with Preservation of the Spleen: A Case Report

Abstract

Left pancreatectomies are, among pancreatic resections, the simplest and best-tolerated. Their main short and long term complications are pancreatic fistula and diabetes, respectively. If the indication for pancreatectomy is a presumably benign lesion, splenic conservation is the general rule to avoid post-splenectomy infectious complications. There are two alternative techniques; sparing of the splenic artery and vein (Kimua procedur), or splenic preservation with sacrifice of the splenic artery and vein (Warshaw procedure) [1]. We report the case of a 41-year-old patient, admitted to our department for the management of a cystic lesion located at the tail of the pancreas, the patient underwent a caudal pancreatectomy with preservation of the spleen by laparotomy.