Complete drainage of pancreatic juice from the cut edge of the pancreas after subtotal left-side pancreatectomy.

The management of the cut stump after a subtotal left-side pancreatectomy is sometimes difficult compared with that after distal pancreatic resection, which is performed at or to the left of the superior mesenteric vein. This report describes a simple and effective drainage method of leaking pancreatic juice from the cut stump after subtotal left-side pancreatectomy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma located in the body and tail. Since July 20, 1994, we have applied this method to 12 patients with carcinoma of the body and tail of the pancreas other than the present case and as yet have never experienced serious postoperative complications.