Current Management of Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) of the pancreas are a common entity with a prevalence in the general population that increases with age. Depending on the involvement of the main pancreatic duct, they can be divided into main-duct (MD), mixed-duct, and branch-duct (BD) variants. Most BD-IPMNs are low-risk and surveilled, while MD-IPMNs are generally resected. When necessary, a standard pancreatic resection with lymphadenectomy is recommended. The use of molecular profiling, intraoperative pancreatoscopy, and surveillance end points are discussed.