Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y pancreatic cyst-jejunostomy.
BACKGROUND: The surgical management of pancreatic pseudocysts can be established through a variety of techniques. Internal drainage has consistently proven to be the treatment of choice for both acute and chronic pancreatic pseudocysts. With the growing popularity of minimally invasive surgery and improvements in surgical technique, laparoscopic internal drainage procedures for pancreatic pseudocysts are being attempted. While most authors have focused on laparoscopic cyst-gastrostomies, few have written about laparoscopic cyst-jejunostomies. METHODS: In this article, we report our experience with eight laparoscopic Roux-en-Y cyst-jejunostomies. Of the eight patients, six had alcoholic pancreatitis, and two had gallstone pancreatitis. There were five men and three women with a mean age of 48 (range 35-71 years). RESULTS: The mean operative time was 150 min, with a range of 100-215 min. We report a mean EBL of 78 cc, a minor complication rate of 20%, and no major complications or mortalities. CONCLUSIONS: These data compare favorably with both open and laparoscopic internal drainage procedures. Laparoscopic cyst-jejunostomy offers a feasible alternative in the minimally invasive management of pancreatic pseudocyst.