Spleen-Preserving Distal Pancreatectomy for Noninvasive Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Carcinoma

Abstract

For a pancreatic body or tail tumor, distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy (DPS) is a standard operation. Spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy (SPDP) was introduced in order to preserve the organ and, thus, provide the patient with a better quality of life.¹ In contrast, despite the fact that intraductal papillary mucinous tumors (IPMTs) have a low but well-documented malignant rate of progression, an aggressive surgical approach is recommended. In addition, these tumors, even when malignant, are often resectable and have a more favorable prognosis than ductal adenocarcinoma and classic mucinous cystadenocarcinoma of the pancreas. These characteristics support limited surgical resection in cases of IPMTs.² Thus, SPDP is considered as one of the options for the treatment of IPMTs of the body or tail of the pancreas. Here, we report a case of noninvasive intraductal papillary mucinous carcinoma that was treated with SPDP.