To assess short-term outcome of open (OGJ) versus laparoscopic (LGJ) gastrojejunostomy in palliation of gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) caused by advanced pancreatic cancer, 22 OGJ patients were compared with 9 diagnosis-matched LGJ controls operated on at the same hospital between 1991 and 1996. Patients undergoing OGJ and LGJ were comparable for age, gender, weight, American Society of Anesthesiologists grading, and previous extensive abdominal surgery, but not for gastroenterostomy performed as a prophylactic procedure (9 vs. 0, respectively). Mortality (5 vs. 1, p = 1.5), overall morbidity (9 vs. 3, p = 0.42), operating time (113.6 +/- 24.5 minutes vs. 125 +/- 15.2 minutes, p < 0.5), time to oral solid food intake (7.2 +/- 0.9 days vs. 5.3 +/- 1.3 days, p < 0.5), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug consumption (7,563.6 +/- 3,381.3 mg vs. 2,044 +/- 673 mg, p < 0.5), opioid consumption (688.5 +/- 258.6 mg vs. 2,910.5 +/- 2,659.9 mg, p < 0.5), delayed-return gastric emptying (5 vs. 1, p = 0.12), postoperative hospital stay (14.6 +/- 1.9 days vs. 10.1 +/- 1.8 days, p < 0.5), survival (5.7 +/- 0.8 months vs. 4.6 +/- 0.6 months, p < 0.5), and further hospital stay before death (9.8 +/- 3.3 days vs. 11.6 +/- 3.4 days, p > 0.5) were not significantly different in 22 OGJ and 9 LGJ patients, respectively. Estimated blood loss was significantly lower in LGJ patients (270.2 +/- 45.8 ml vs. 66 +/- 15.7 ml, p < 0.01). When 13 of 22 patients undergoing OGJ for treatment were compared with 9 LGJ patients, only estimated blood loss (p < 0.01) and hospital stay (p < 0.05) were significantly reduced in LGJ patients. Recurrent GOO before death occurred in one patient (1 of 22, 4.5%) 9 months after OGJ. LGJ for palliative treatment of GOO in advanced pancreatic cancer offered (in spite of the learning curve) reduced estimated blood loss and hospital stay when compared with OGJ.