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 i s 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 pancrea tic juice from the cut stump after subtotal left-side pancreatectomy for pa ncreatic 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 t ail of the pancreas other than the present case and as yet have never exper ienced serious postoperative complications.