Intrahepatic intraductal papillary cystic neoplasm of the bile duct: A case report

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) is a tumour with a very low incidence in the Western world, characterised by a high risk of malignant transformation and unknown prognosis. It is a new entity which was adopted by the WHO in 2010 as a precursor lesion of cholangiocarcinoma. Intrahepatic bile duct is the most common site of origin for IPNB. CASE PRESENTATION: Hereby, we present a case of an asymptomatic 63- year-old man, referred to our department after routine ultrasonography showing a multifocal cystic lesion on the left hepatic lobe. Further screening modalities (CT, MRI abdo) confirmed a complex cystic liver lesion with atypical features. The patient underwent left hepatectomy. Histopathology showed a cystic type intrahepatic IPNB, which was completely resected (R0). The follow up in 2 yrs post-operation showed no signs of recurrence. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: The diagnosis and management of IPNB remain challenging. A multimodality imaging approach is essential in order to diagnose IPNB, assess tumour location and extent and plan the optimal treatment strategy. CONCLUSION: Complete surgical resection (R0) with close postoperative follow-up offers long-term survival.