Korean Journal of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy  2006;33(3):191-196

Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm in a Patient with an Incomplete Pancreatic Divisum.

Sung Min NAM 1 ; Woo Chul CHUNG ; Hyung Min CHIN ; Kang Moon LEE ; Bo In LEE ; U Im CHANG ; Jin Mo YANG ; Kyu Yong CHOI ; In Sik CHUNG

Affiliations

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Keywords

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm; Pancreatic divisum

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) are premalignant lesions that require a surgical resection. IPMN can cause abdominal pain or pancreatitis as a result of either mucin production or a papillary growth, resulting in a ductal obstruction. Most IPMNs arise from the main pancreatic duct. However, IPMNs arising from the accessory pancreatic duct are extremely rare. Pancreatic divisum occurs when the ventral and dorsal ducts of the pancreas fail to fuse during organogenesis. It is the most common congenital variant of pancreatic-ductal development, and occurs in approximately 10~14% of individuals. Although pancreatic divisum has no clinical relevance, some patients present with acute recurrent or chronic pancreatitis. In most cases, it is discovered incidentally during an examination of pancreatitis, and is occasionally accompanied by a pancreatic tumor. We report the first case of IPMN in a patient with an incomplete pancreatic divisum in Korea.