Splenic preserving distal pancreatectomy of a solid pseudopapillary pancreatic tumour

Solid pseudopapillary tumours are rare primary lesions of the pancreas. They occur most commonly in young female patients. They are traditionally regarded as benign tumours with malignant potential.

We describe the incidental finding of this rare pancreatic lesion in a healthy 37-year-old female which was treated with splenic preserving distal pancreatectomy.

The patient underwent curative resection with an uncomplicated postoperative course. Histology revealed the tumour origin with clear resection margins. The patient did not require adjunct therapy. Follow-up computed tomography (CT) scanning has demonstrated no evidence of local recurrence.

The authors conclude that splenic preservation is safe and desirable where no compromise in oncological principles exists. Despite improvements in histological characteristics of solid pseudopapillary tumours, no prognostic features exist and each case must be followed-up on an individual basis.