[Congenital cysts of the pancreas. A case report]

Minerva Pediatr. 2000 Mar;52(3):143-6.
[Article in Italian]

Abstract

The authors report a clinical case of congenital cyst of the pancreas occurred in a female aged 15 months. They stress how this pathology is particularly rare in pediatric age (only 22 cases in the literature) and how it is extremely difficult to formulate a preoperative diagnosis. The young patient was in good general condition with an enormous abdominal tumefaction and without alterations of hematochemical markers. Echographic and tomographic patterns led to four diagnostic hypotheses: a) mesenteric cyst; b) left ovarian cyst or compound ovarian tumor; c) intestinal duplication; d) pancreatic cyst. Only after surgery a correct diagnosis was formulated (on the basis of the topographic position and the intracystic content of amylase and lipase) and a complete resolution of this pathology was obtained. Surgery therefore has the double function of formulating a correct diagnosis and allowing the complete resolution of this pathology. The complete surgical removal of the mass, in view of the benignity of this lesion, is the therapeutic goal.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Pancreas / diagnostic imaging
  • Pancreas / surgery
  • Pancreatic Cyst / congenital*
  • Pancreatic Cyst / diagnosis
  • Pancreatic Cyst / surgery
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Ultrasonography