Conditions & Treatments

Pancreas Resection - What it is

The pancreas is an organ located behind the stomach and near the first part of the small intestine. It is divided into 4 sections: the head, neck, body, and tail.

The pancreas has 2 main functions:

It makes digestive fluids that help break down fats, carbohydrates and proteins.
It makes insulin and glucagon, hormones that help regulate blood sugar levels.

Pancreas resection is mainly performed to remove pancreatic cancer or a suspicious tumour (e.g. primary adenocarcinoma, neuroendocrine) or cyst. Biopsy of the tumour or cyst may be ordered before the surgery if necessary.

There are two main types of pancreatic resection:

Distal pancreatectomy or a Subtotal pancreatectomy
Whipple operation/Pancreaticoduodenectomy

A Distal pancreatectomy or a Subtotal pancreatectomy is a major operation to remove the left side of the pancreas (Body/Neck and Tail).
A Pancreaticoduodenectomy also known as a "Whipple” operation is a major operation to remove a part of the pancreas (Head and neck/uncinate process), the gallbladder, the common bile duct, part of small intestine and stomach in some cases.

What does it involve?

A surgical cut (incision) will be made to enter the abdomen. In some cases, a minimally invasive approach (key-hole or robot-assisted) may be suitable and recommended for you as they result in less pain, a shorter hospital stay and a faster recovery. The surgery usually takes about 4 to 8 hours, but the time may vary depending on the approach and complexity of the case.