Complications of Whipple procedure in a pediatric patient with pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas.

Pancreatic neoplasms are rare in pediatrics; the pseudopapillary tumor (PPT) of the pancreas is the most common. PPTs of the pancreas are usually located in the head of the pancreas. A pancreaticoduodenectomy or Whipple procedure is the technique of choice for the treatment of benign or malignant pancreatic tumors. Although mortality for this cause has decreased in recent years, due to the greater experience of surgeons and improved pre- and postoperative care, morbidity has remained high secondary to associated complications. These include delayed gastric emptying, intra-abdominal collections, pancreatic fistula, surgical site restenosis, and post-pancreatectomy hemorrhage. Here we describe the clinical case of a 13-year-old girl diagnosed with PPT of the pancreas who underwent an effective surgery in terms of cancer treatment, but who required a prolonged hospitalization secondary to surgical complications.