Spleen-preserving laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy: is it worthwhile?

Distal pancreatic resection has been standardized in the 1990s, and since then favourable short-term results have been reported in high-volume centers (1). Later on, with the advent of minimally invasive surgery, the issue of spleen preservation has become more and more important given the implications of this organ in the regulation of body immunocompetency.