Digital peroral pancreatoscopy to determine surgery for patients who have intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas with mural nodules.

Because more than a few patients have intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms of the pancreas (IPMNs) with mural nodules (MNs) that are benign, clinical plans should be determined by using histocytological specimens especially, for patients with high risk for surgery or with a small MN. This study included 27 patients to evaluate the efficacy of peroral pancreatoscopy using a SpyGlass DS system (POPS-DS) for patients with MN-positive IPMN, mainly focusing on the ability of POPS-DS to detect malignancy. Biopsy specimens obtained under POPS-DS guidance could be used for histological evaluation of all patients with MNs in the main pancreatic duct and 67% of the patients with MNs in the branch ducts, whereas fluid specimens collected during POPS-DS could be used for histocytological evaluation for all patients.