KTPH Hepato–Pancreato–Biliary Surgery Service (HPB)

Removal of the distal (tail and/or body of the) pancreas is known as a distal pancreatectomy.

This procedure is performed for patients who require surgical removal (resection) for a primary cancer or a suspicious cystic or solid growth that has arisen within the pancreas body or tail.

Sometimes it is not possible to determine whether the tumour is benign or malignant and resection is performed to remove the tumour and establish the diagnosis.

Biopsy of the pancreas is not routinely recommended as it has the potential to cause bleeding and spread of the cancer. The principal aim is to completely remove the tumour and draining lymph nodes without leaving any tumour behind. The success of the pancreatic resection depends upon the location, size and type of tumour.

If the tumor has invaded into the splenic vessels, the vessels cannot be safely separated from the pancreas, or the tumour has potential to spread to the nearby lymph nodes at the hilum of the spleen, the procedure may include removal of the spleen, and protective vaccinations are recommended before the operation.