To evaluate the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) in the treatment of periampullary carcinoma.

Clinical data of 13 patients with periampullary carcinoma who underwent LPD in the First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical University from July 2016 to July 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 7 patients were male and 6 female, aged 36-60 years with a median age of 57 years. The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval was received. The perioperative conditions of all patients were observed.

Among 13 patients, 11 cases received standard LPD, and 2 patients were converted to open surgery for the difficulty of laparoscopic surgery. The median operation time was 523(487-577) min, intraoperative blood loss was 320(180-430) ml, the length of postoperative hospital stay was 32(22-53) d and the total medical expense was 76(49-177) thousand yuan. Postoperative complications occurred in 6 cases, including 3 cases of pancreatic fistula, 3 cases of bile leakage, 3 cases of intraperitoneal hemorrhage, 2 cases of peritoneal effusion, 1 case with 2 complications and 2 cases with 3 complications. The patients were all cured by conservative treatments. Postoperative pathological examination showed that 4 patients were diagnosed with the lower common bile duct carcinoma, 4 cases of duodenal papillary carcinoma, 2 cases of periampullary carcinoma, 2 cases of pancreatic head carcinoma and 1 case of pancreatic uncinate process adenocarcinoma.

Compared with traditional open PD, LPD for periampullary carcinoma has the advantages of minimally invasive and quick recovery of incision. LPD is a procedure with high difficulty and high level techniques are required. Technical training for the surgeon should be increased to decrease the incidence of postoperative complications.