Dermoid cyst of the pancreas: a case report with literature review

Pancreatic dermoid cysts represent a rare entity with 35 cases described in the world literature, including the present one. Pre-operative diagnosis is difficult, with definitive diagnosis usually taking place intra-operatively. We report the case of a 63 year old male with a symptomatic, 6 cm cystic mass in the body of the pancreas. The pre-operative evaluation suggested a cystic neoplasm, but was indeterminate as to whether the lesion was benign or malignant. The diagnosis of dermoid cyst was made intra-operatively with frozen section. Although the diagnosis could not be made pre-operatively this retrospective report highlights the difficulty in evaluating cystic pancreatic lesions by imaging and summarizes the current body of knowledge on this rare entity.