First experience of robotic spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy in a child with insulinoma

BACKGROUND: An insulinoma is a functional neuroendocrine pancreatic tumor, and surgical resection is indicated. Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgeries have been shown to be generally safe and feasible for treatment of pediatric cases of urologic and digestive disease. CASE PRESENTATION: In July 2016, a 9-year-old girl (24 kg, 120 cm) was admitted with a pancreatic tail insulinoma and underwent robot-assisted spleen-preserving laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy. The total procedure time was 155 min, and the blood loss was about 10 ml. The patient recovered without complications. CONCLUSIONS: This case supports that robot-assisted spleen-preserving laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy may be safe and feasible in pediatric insulinoma patients.