Background: Laparoscopic pancreas resections are performed with increasing frequency for pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and other benign and malignant diseases.
Objectives: This article describes the complications arising from laparoscopic resection of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and compares them to complications arising from similar open procedures.
Methods: Case series, reports, trials and meta-analyses were analyzed and the results are described and discussed.
Results: The types and the frequencies of complications are comparable for laparoscopic and open resection of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. The lack of the ability to perform an intraoperative examination of the pancreas to detect the tumors can be alleviated by laparoscopic ultrasound examination or in the case of tumors expressing somatostatin receptors by preoperative DOTATATE positron emission tomography (PET) computed tomography (CT) scanning.
Conclusion: The complications arising from the resection of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors do not justify a recommendation for a laparoscopic or open approach.