The usefulness of modified splenic hilum hanging maneuver in laparoscopic splenectomy, especially for patients with huge spleen: a case-control study with propensity score matching

Background Although Laparoscopic splenectomy (LS) have been proven to the standard operation for removal of spleen, the rate of conversion to open surgery is still higher than those of other laparoscopic surgeries, especially for huge spleen. In order to reduce the rate of conversion to open surgery, we had developed LS using modified splenic hilum hanging (MSHH) maneuver: the splenic pedicle was transected en bloc using a surgical stapler after hanging splenic hilum with an atraumatic penrose drain tube. Methods Between January 2005 and December 2019, we retrospectively assessed 94 patients who underwent LS. MSHH maneuver was performed in 37 patients (39.4%). We compared the intra- and postoperative outcomes between patients with or without MSHH maneuver. To adjust for differences in preoperative characteristics and blood examination, propensity score matching was used at a 1:1 ratio, resulting in a comparison of 29 patients per group. Predictive factors of conversion from LS to open surgery were elucidated using the uni- and multi-variate analyses. Results After the propensity score matching, blood loss (268 ml vs. 50 ml), the rate of conversion to open surgery (27.6% vs. 0%), and postoperative hospital stays (15 days vs. 10 days) were significantly decreased in patients with MSHH maneuver, respectively. Among 94 patients, 19 patients (20.2%) underwent conversion to open surgery. In multivariate analysis, spleen volume (SV) and LS without MSHH maneuver were independent predictive factors of conversion to open surgery, respectively. Additionally, cut-off value of SV for conversion to open surgery was 802 ml (sensitivity: 0.684, specificity: 0.827, p < 0.001). Conclusions LS using MSHH maneuver seems to be useful surgical technique to improve intraoperative outcomes and reduce the rate of conversion from LS to open surgery resulting in shorten postoperative hospital stay.

Automated summary

Although LS is the standard operation for splenectomy, the rate of conversion to open surgery is still higher, especially for huge spleens. The use of MSHH maneuver in LS significantly decreased blood loss, conversion rate, and postoperative hospital stays, making it a useful technique to reduce conversion rate and improve outcomes.