ObjectiveTo compare the short-term clinical outcomes of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) with open pancreatoduodenectomy (OPD).MethodsClinical data of 29 patients receiving LPD and 27 patients receiving OPD in the department of hepatobiliary surgery of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from March 2016 to December 2018 were collected. Note that both LPD and OPD were performed by the same chief surgeon. Effectiveness and safety of LPD were compared with those of OPD.ResultsThere was no significant difference in age, sex, body mass index, total bilirubin level, direct bilirubin level, preoperative morbidities, focus size, TNM stage and ASA grade between the LPD group and the OPD group (P>0.05). The operative time of the LPD group was significantly longer than that of the OPD group [(482±86 ) min vs. (349±73) min, P<0.01]. Patients in the LPD group had shorter postoperative anal exhaust time than that in the OPD group [(3.3±0.8) d vs. (5.3±1.0) d , P<0.05]. There was no significant difference in the length of hospital stay after operation, blood loss in operation, transfusion, second operation, death and postoperative complications between the LPD group and the OPD group (P>0.05).ConclusionsThe preliminary results of this study suggest that compared with OPD, LPD can shorten the postoperative anal exhaust time but not increase the incidence of postoperative complications and blood loss in operation. Nevertheless, this conclusion is needed to be validated by clinical studies with large sample size.