Central Pancreatectomy as a Good Solution in Frantz Tumor Resection: A Case Report

Solid pseudopapillary tumors of the pancreas located in the head or body are a challenging clinical problem because they usually demand extensive surgical procedures, and in most reported cases pancreaticoduodenectomy is the operation of choice in such a location. An alternative method of surgery in precisely selected patients is a procedure known as central pancreatectomy. The authors present the case of a 13-year-old girl with a 5 cm tumor located in the body of the pancreas. The favorable anatomical location of the tumor suggested central pancreatic resection. The tumor was excised with 1 cm oncologic margins from both sides, and the distal remnant of the pancreas was protected with a Roux-en-Y loop. In the postoperative period the patient required reoperation because of intensive bleeding in the resection site but the duodenal loop was saved and the patient protected from biliary tract reconstruction and exocrine and endocrine insufficiency. Progress in pancreatic surgery, especially in children, allows less radical options for the reason that preservation of endocrine and exocrine function is very important and protects them, especially from insulin-dependent diabetes in the future.