Dermoid cyst of the pancreas: A rare cystic neoplasm.

Background: Dermoid cyst of the pancreas, also called cystic teratoma, is a benign, well-differentiated, and extremely rare germ cell neoplasm. Preoperative diagnosis is challenging since there are no definitive preoperative diagnostic tests or pathognomonic findings.

Methods: We report a case of a 54-year-old male who presented with an incidentally detected pancreatic cystic mass at the tail of the pancreas. Computerized tomography revealed a benign cystic mass such as oligocystic serous cystadenoma or a hemorrhagic cyst. However, a high CEA level from EUS guided aspirated fluid suggested mucinous cystic neoplasm. After laparoscopic spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy, the final diagnosis was confirmed as a dermoid cyst of the pancreas.

Conclusions: Despite the benign nature of the dermoid cyst, complete surgical resection is mostly inevitable due to the difficulty of preoperative diagnosis as in the present case.