ABSTRACT
Procedure Step 1. The patient is placed in the supine position, general anesthesia is induced,
and the abdomen is prepared for exploration. In the setting of known pancreatic or biliary malignancy, staging laparoscopy is considered. A relatively thin patient may be explored through a midline incision. For patients with previous mid or lower abdominal surgery or with a wide costal margin, a bilateral subcostal incision is employed.
