To investigate the clinical value of retroperitoneal nerve dissection in laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) in the treatment of early pancreatic cancer.

The clinical data of 86 patients with early pancreatic cancer who underwent LPD from January 2018 to December 2019 were analyzed retrospectively . And according to the scope of lymph node dissection, 46 cases were divided into the standard group received standard lymph node dissection, while 40 cases were divided into the study group received retroperitoneal nerve dissection. Statistical analysis were performed by using SPSS 22.0 software Measurement data such as perioperative indexes were expressed as (±s), and were examined by using t-test. Count data such as postoperative complications were examined by using χ² test. The survival were analyzed by using Kaplan-Meier method and parallel log-rank test. A P value of <0.05 was considered as statistically significant difference.

Compared with the standard group, much longer operation time, more intraoperative blood loss and harvested lymph nodes, and increased number of positive lymph nodes detected and R0 resection rate were observed respectively in the study group (P<0.05); There was no significant difference between two groups in terms of the length of hospitalization and the incidence of complications (P>0.05); During the follow-up, the 1-year disease-free survival rate of 87.5% in the study group was significantly higher than 69.6% in the standard group (χ²=3.998, P=0.046).

Although LPD combined with nerve dissection in the treatment of early pancreatic cancer would increase the operation time and blood loss, it could improve the R0 resection rate and the 1-year disease-free survival rate.