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Open DP-SP is an established safe procedure for benign pancreatic tumors. Experience with laparoscopic DP-SP is limited to small studies and anecdotal reports, safety of preserving the splenic vessels is controversial and the Warshaw technique advocated. Methods:120 patients underwent laparoscopic-assisted left-sided pancreatectomy; in 42 patients the spleen was preserved (35%) and are analysed here. Standard laparoscopic-assisted DP-SP (splenic vessels preserved) was performed in 38 and Warshaw technique (splenic vessels ligated) in 4 patients.: Age 51±2.7y; ASA 2.2±0.1;BMI 26.8±0.9; OR time 169.7±9.9 min; blood loss 223.9±42.2; transfusion in 4 patients (9.5%);length pancreas resected 7.04±0.4cm; tumor diameter 2.6±0.2cm; margins negative in all patients; nodes harvested 4.24 ±1.3/patient;cancer 0/42 (0%). Liquid diet tolerated median postoperative day 1 (range 0-2), solid diet day 2 (range 2-4). Mean length of hospitalization 2.93±0.16d, median 3d(range 1-6d). Clinically significant pancreatic fistulae (ISGPF grades 2-3) in 6 patients (14%). Significant overall morbidity: Clavien grade 2 in 16%, Clavien 3 in 2% and Clavien 4-5 in 0%. Pulmonary morbidity in 2 patients(4.5%); mortality was 0%. One patient developed a partial splenic infarct, there were no pseudoaneurysms or splenic vein thrombosis in standard DP-SP. Conclusions: In this largest single institution, single surgeon experience the standard laparoscopic-assisted DP-SP is a safe operation. The Warshaw technique should be limited to salvaging DP-SP if disruption of the splenic vein is encountered during standard laparoscopic DP-SP. Due to limited nodal dissection DP-SP should be limited to benign tumors only. Prognosis for long term splenic salvage is excellent and splenic thrombosis was not seen in the standard laparoscopic-assisted DP-SP.