Pancreatectomy can impair production of endocrine and exocrine hormones. In this study, we evaluated: 1) the incidence rate of diabetes in patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy; 2) the correlation between the occurrence of pancreatic diabetes and the extent of the resected pancreas; and 3) factors associated with the development of pancreatic diabetes.

We retrospectively reviewed the cases of 26 patients who could be compared in abdominal computed tomography before and after distal pancreatectomy for benign or malignant lesions between January, 1999 to June, 2010.

The incidence of pancreatic diabetes was 19.2%. Obese patients (BMI>25.0 kg/m²) had a higher incidence ( p =0.029) of pancreatic diabetes after distal pancreatectomy than non-obese patients. The diabetes group had larger volumes of resected pancreas, but the difference was not statistically significant ( p =0.105).

Several factors may be associated with the development of pancreatic diabetes after distal pancreatectomy. It is necessary to closely follow-up development of pancreatic diabetes regardless of the extent of resection.