Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy with spleen preservation for management of a pseudopapillary pancreatic tumor: Case report and review of the literature

Solid pseudopapillary tumor is an infrequent pancreatic neoplasia, but reports about it have increased in the last two decades. It is more frequent in women in the second and third decades of life. It has the potential of malignant transformation. Treatment is surgical resection. Presently, laparoscopic pancreatectomy is the procedure associated with lesser post-operatory morbidity, as compared to open pancreatectomy. The procedure is usually accompanied by splenectomy due to anatomical difficulties in the dissection of the splenic vessels. However, splenectomy has immunological implications, and preservation of the spleen associates with lower morbidity. We report the case of a young woman with a solid pseudopapillary pancreatic tumor treated by distal laparoscopic pancreatectomy with preservation of the spleen. Outcome was successful.