Spontaneous rupture of solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas during pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous rupture of solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas is an unusual complication during pregnancy. CASE: At 19 weeks of gestation, a 29-year-old woman presented with a pancreatic mass and upper abdominal pain radiating to the back. On the third day of admission, shock and peritoneal signs developed. Exploratory laparotomy and subsequent subtotal pancreatectomy were performed for a bleeding tumor. Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm was confirmed by pathological examination. The patient delivered a healthy full-term girl vaginally. Eight months postoperatively, the clinical courses of both mother and infant have been uneventful.
CONCLUSION: Ruptured solid pseudopapillary neoplasms can cause an acute abdomen during pregnancy. The expression of progesterone receptors in solid pseudopapillary neoplasm is a possible cause of this potentially devastating event.