A Solid Pseudopapillary Tumour of the Pancreas Presenting after an Abdominal Trauma

Abstract

We present the case of 12-year-old girl who was referred with persistent abdominal pain and a palpable mass after blunt trauma and whose final diagnosis was a solid pseudopapillary tumour of the pancreas. This is the second case in our hospital of a solid pseudopapillary tumour of the pancreas presenting after a blunt abdominal trauma. Solid pseudopapillary tumour of the pancreas is a rare neoplasm. It comprises 2 to 3% of primary pancreatic tumours occurring at all ages. It was first described in 1959 by Frantz. The presenting symptoms are usually a slow growing abdominal mass with vague abdominal discomfort. Sometimes they are discovered after a trauma. Solid pseudopapillary tumours of the pancreas have a fairly characteristic appearance on imaging but the final diagnosis depends on histologi-cal confirmation. After resection the prognosis is excellent.

Key Words:

• Pseudopapillary tumour
• pancreas
• children
• trauma.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

W. Vergauwen

Dr. M. Wojciechowski Department of Paediatrics Antwerp University Hospital Wilrijkstraat 10 2650 Edegem, Belgium Tel.: + 32.3.821.38.10 E-mail: [email protected]