Whipple Surgery

Whipple procedure, also known as a pancreaticoduodenectomy, is a complex operation to remove the head of the pancreas, the first part of the small intestine (duodenum), the gallbladder and the bile duct.

The Whipple procedure is used to treat tumors and other disorders of the pancreas, intestine and bile duct. It is the most often used surgery to treat pancreatic cancer that’s confined to the head of the pancreas. After performing the Whipple procedure, your surgeon reconnects the remaining organs to allow you to digest food normally after surgery.

A Whipple procedure may be a treatment option for people whose pancreas, duodenum or bile duct is affected by cancer or other disorder. The pancreas is a vital organ that lies in the upper abdomen, behind your stomach. It works closely with the liver and ducts that carry bile. The pancreas releases (secretes) enzymes that help you digest food, especially fats and protein. The pancreas also secretes hormones that help manage your blood sugar.

The goal of doing a Whipple procedure for cancer is to remove the tumor and prevent it from growing and spreading to other organs. This is the only treatment that can lead to prolonged survival and cure for most of these tumors.

The Whipple surgical procedure can be performed in three different ways.

• Open Surgery – An open surgery is performed by the surgeon making an incision in the abdomen to access the pancreas. Open surgery is the most commonly performed and most extensively studied version of Whipple surgery.
• Laparoscopic Surgery – Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive version of the Whipple procedure. A small incision is made in the abdomen and special instruments are inserted. These small instruments include a camera that will send videos to a monitor to guide the surgeon during the procedure.
• Robotic Surgery – Robotic surgery is a minimally invasive surgery during which surgical tools, attached to a robot, are inserted into small incisions in the abdomen. The surgeon uses video to observe the organs and controls the robotic arms from a console. The benefit of this form of surgery is that the small robotic arms can access areas and make small adjustments that are not possible with human hands.

While the minimally invasive surgical options come with less risk of blood loss and infection and a quicker recovery time there are also some drawbacks.

Laparoscopic and robotic surgeries both take longer to perform than an open surgery which is harder on the body. There is also the risk that there will be complications during a minimally invasive procedure that require the surgeon to switch to open surgery to finish the procedure.

When is Whipple Surgery needed?

Your doctor may recommend you have a Whipple procedure to treat:

• Pancreatic cancer
• Pancreatic cysts
• Pancreatic tumors
• Pancreatitis
• Ampullary cancer
• Bile duct cancer
• Neuroendocrine tumors
• Small bowel cancer
• Trauma to the pancreas or small intestine
• Other tumors or disorders involving the pancreas, duodenum or bile ducts