ObjectiveTo compare the efficacy between laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) and open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD) in treatment of carcinoma of head of pancreas. MethodsClinical data of 60 patients with locally advanced carcinoma of head of pancreas who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy in our hospital from October 2004 to October 2009 were collected, of which 26 patients were in LPD group and 34 patients were in OPD group. ResultsOperative time and hospitalization expense of patients in LPD group were both longer or more than those of OPD group (P<0.05), but blood loss, time of starting activity, time of aeration, time of pulling out the drainage tube, time of pulling out the stomach tube, time of absolute resting on bed, and hospitalization time in LPD group were all shorter or lower than those of OPD group (P<0.05). There were 25 patients suffered with postoperative complications, including 10 patients in LPD group and 15 patients in OPD group, and there was no significant difference between the 2 groups in total incidence of postoperative complication (P>0.05). But in the specific postoperative complication, the incidences of pancreatic fistula and biliary fistula of LPD group were higher than those of OPD group (P<0.05), but incidences of incision infection, pulmonary infection, and systemic infection were all lower than those of OPD group (P<0.05). All patients were followed up for 1-60 months with the median time of 21.5 months. During the follow-up period, in LPD group, 24 patients suffered with recurrence, 20 patients suffered with tumor metastasis, and 24 patients died; in LPD group, 31 patients suffered with recurrence, 25 patients suffered with tumor metastasis, and 31 patients died. There were no significant difference between the 2 groups in the recurrence rate, metastasis rate, mortality, and survival situation (P>0.05). ConclusionsFor carcinoma of head of pancreas, postoperative recovery and infection complications of LPD are significantly superior than those of OPD. But compared with the OPD, it has no obvious advantage in reducing the pancreatic fistula, biliary fistula, delayed gastric emptying, and other complications, and it also has no obvious advantage in improving the long-term survival situation too.