Pancreas divisum

Pancreas divisum is one of the developmental anomalies of the pancreas. The pancreas normally develops in two parts - ventral and dorsal. The ventral part wraps around the duodenum and, after fusion, forms the lower part of the head of the pancreas. The upper part of the head of the pancreas, the whole body and the cauda arise from the dorsal part. In the pancreas divisum, there is no connection of the outlet draining the pancreatic juices from the body and cauda pancreas to the ductus pancreaticus maior ( Wirsungi ), which opens into the Vater papilla, and thus drains only the original ventral segment. Thus, most of the pancreatic juice is drained by the ductus pancreaticus accessorius ( Santorini), which empties over the Vaterska papilla. Papilla duodeni minor ( Santorini ) is usually narrow due to the demands of the pancreas for the outflow of juices, and so pancreatic secretion can become stuck here, making the pancreas divisum a predisposition for pancreatitis.

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