Can the pancreas be removed laparoscopically?
If there are no complications (though about 1/3 of the patients do have some complication, especially the ones with pancreatic cancer), the stay in the hospital is about 7-8 days, and complete recovery occurs in about 2-3 months. There is a drain placed in the abdomen, which has a bulb outside the body providing suction. Most patients go home with the drain in place and have it removed during one of the office visits. Some patients may have some vague GI problems for many months, but this is quite infrequent. The most common complication is leakage from where the various structures have been reattached to the jejunum (bowel), and especially at the pancreas remnant. Leaks are normally managed with prolonged drainage and, sometimes, with withholding of oral diet, while the patient receives intravenous nutrition.
