ObjectiveTo introduce the method of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy through an arterial approach, and to evaluate the clinical value of this technique. MethodsThe clinical data of 19 patients with periampullary carcinoma, distal bile duct cancer, and early-stage pancreatic head carcinoma that underwent laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy through an arterial approach in the Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital between September 2010 and July 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were followed-up until February 28, 2014. ResultsLaparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy were successfully performed in all 19 cases, there were no need to convert to open surgery. Open reconstruction was performed in 2 cases, and 17 cases underwent total laparoscopic reconstruction of the digestive tract. The duration of the operations ranged from 5-10.5 h(mean 6.3 h), and the intra-operative blood loss ranged from 170-430 mL(mean 250 mL). Post-surgical pathology detected a mean number of 13.7 lymph(9-21) nodes in all patients. No deaths occurred during the perioperative period. Complications were observed in 42.1%(8/19) of the subjects, including 5 cases with pancreatic fistula, 1 case with bile leak, 1 case with gastric emptying disorder, and 1 case with a gastroduodenal artery aneurysm. The mean length of hospital stay was 10.7 d(7-19 d). The mean followed-up period was 7.5 months(2-28 months), there were 6 patients died of tumor metastasis or recurrence during the followed-up. ConclusionLaparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy through an arterial approach simplifies pancreaticoduodenectomy and lymph node dissection procedures, and can completely remove lymph nodes.