Minimally Invasive Surgery for Duodenal Obstructions, 10 Years of Experience in a Single Center.

Purpose: Duodenal obstructions are one of the most common causes of upper intestinal obstruction during the neonatal period. Minimally invasive surgical treatment is considered highly complex. We report our experience with 43 patients treated using this method.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study at our institution from January 2013 to May 2023, including patients classified as having upper intestinal obstructions. All patients received preoperative diagnoses based on clinical findings, radiography, and abdominal ultrasound. Laparoscopic surgery was performed on all patients.

Results: We included 43 patients diagnosed with duodenal obstruction (DO) in our study after reviewing the medical records at our hospital for cases meeting this diagnosis. The laparoscopic Kimura procedure was performed on 31 patients (72%), while duodenotomy and anastomosis following the Heineke-Mikulicz principle were performed on 9 patients (21%). In the remaining 3 patients (7%), a side-to-side duodeno-duodeno anastomosis was conducted. Annular pancreas was the most common cause of duodenal obstruction in our series, affecting 21 patients (49%). Type I duodenal atresia was observed in 17 patients (40%), while type III atresia was present in 3 patients (7%), and type II atresia in 2 patients (4%). One case required conversion to open surgery due to concomitant jejunoileal atresia. The only reported complication was partial anastomotic dehiscence, which occurred in two patients (4%).

Conclusions: Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for managing duodenal obstruction (DO) has proven to be both feasible and safe, yielding comparable outcomes to the traditional open approach; its effectiveness can be significantly enhanced through appropriate training. Furthermore, the growing availability of duodenal atresia simulators offers valuable opportunities to refine laparoscopic skills and apply them effectively. Better outcomes and fewer complications are expected with further experience and an increased number of cases.

Level of evidence: IV, Case series with no comparison group.