Pancreatic duct
| Pancreatic duct | |
|---|---|
 The pancreatic duct. | |
 | |
| Details | |
| Precursor | Pancreatic bud |
| Identifiers | |
| Latin | ductus pancreaticus |
| MeSH | D010183 |
| TA98 | A05.9.01.015 |
| TA2 | 3129 |
| FMA | 10419 |
| Anatomical terminology | |
2. Intrahepatic bile ducts
3. Left and right hepatic ducts
4. Common hepatic duct
5. Cystic duct
6. Common bile duct
7. Ampulla of Vater
8. Major duodenal papilla
9. Gallbladder
10–11. Right and left lobes of liver
12. Spleen
13. Esophagus
14. Stomach
15. Pancreas:
16. Accessory pancreatic duct
17. Pancreatic duct
18. Small intestine:
19. Duodenum
20. Jejunum
21–22. Right and left kidneys
The front border of the liver has been lifted up (brown arrow).[1]
The pancreatic duct, or duct of Wirsung (also, the major pancreatic duct due to the existence of an accessory pancreatic duct), is a duct joining the pancreas to the common bile duct to supply pancreatic juices which aid in digestion provided by the exocrine pancreas. The pancreatic duct joins the common bile duct just prior to the ampulla of Vater, after which both ducts perforate the medial side of the second portion of the duodenum at the major duodenal papilla. There are many anatomical variants reported but these are quite rare.[2]
The duct of Wirsung is named after its discoverer, the German anatomist Johann Georg Wirsung (1589–1643).[3]
Accessory pancreatic duct
Most people have just one pancreatic duct. However, some have an additional accessory pancreatic duct, called the Duct of Santorini. Accessory pancreatic duct can be functional or non-functional and may open separately into the second part of the duodenum [4][5]
Clinical significance
Compression, obstruction or inflammation of the pancreatic duct may lead to acute pancreatitis. The most common cause for obstruction is choledocholithiasis, or gallstones in the common bile duct. Obstruction can also be due to duodenal inflammation in Crohn's disease.[6] A gallstone may get lodged in the constricted distal end of the ampulla of Vater, where it blocks the flow of both bile and pancreatic juice into the duodenum. Bile backing up into the pancreatic duct may initiate pancreatitis.[7]
Pancreatic ductal carcinoma is a common form of pancreatic cancer.
Additional images
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ERCP image showing the pancreatic duct and biliary tree. -
Accessory digestive system. -
Interior of the descending portion of the duodenum, showing bile papilla. -
Pancreas of a human embryo of five weeks. -
Pancreas of a human embryo at end of sixth week. -
Pancreatic duct Deep dissection.Anterior view.
References
- ^ Standring S, Borley NR, eds. (2008). Gray's anatomy : the anatomical basis of clinical practice. Brown JL, Moore LA (40th ed.). London: Churchill Livingstone. pp. 1163, 1177, 1185–6. ISBN 978-0-8089-2371-8.
- ^ Goel, Shivi; Rustagi, SM; Saha, S; Mehta, V; Suri, RK; Rath, G (July 2015). "Aberrant pancreatic ductal organisation: a case report". Surgical and radiologic anatomy: SRA. 37 (5): 543–6. doi:10.1007/s00276-015-1474-z. PMID 25840941.
- ^ doctor/2941 at Who Named It?
- ^ Moore KL, Dalley AF. 2006. Clinically Oriented Anatomy. 5th Ed. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p 287.
- ^ 1. Mchonde GJ, Gesase AP. Termination pattern of main and accessory pancreatic ducts among Tanzanians. Anatomy Journal of Africa. 2014; 3(1):223-227.
- ^ http://www.gastro.org/user-assets/html/eDigest/2005/December/1/120105.htm
- ^ Moore, Keith L.; Dalley, Arthur F. (2006). Clinically Oriented Anatomy, Fifth Edition. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. p. 287. ISBN 0-7817-3639-0.
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