Relationship between papillary fibrosis and patency of the accessory pancreatic duct

Frequency of Obliteration of the Dorsal and Ventral Ducts of the Pancreas in Islet Transplantation

BACKGROUND

Islet isolation is an essential process in every human islet transplantation protocol. Intraductal enzyme delivery followed by adequate distention of the pancreas is the most critical step in islet isolation. Anomalies of the pancreatic duct system can significantly affect this process. Thus, identification and characterization of ductal patency is of paramount importance to achieve optimal islet isolation.

AIMS

To investigate the frequency of duct obliteration in the human pancreas and explore donor/patient characteristics associated with specific ductal variations.

METHODS

We examined ductal patency of pancreata allocated for islet allotransplantation (n = 597) and autotransplantation (n = 21) after removal of the duodenum during islet isolation procedure. Donor/patient factors were reviewed from the batch files.

RESULTS

Among 559 deceased donor pancreata without pancreas divisum (n = 38, 6.4%), both ducts were patent in 50.1%, only ventral duct was patent in 46.7%, and only dorsal duct was patent in 3.2%. Donor age was not associated with the frequency of obliterated dorsal duct. Black race tended to have the higher frequency of patent dorsal duct. As expected, pancreas divisum was more frequent in chronic pancreatitis cases (n = 6, 28.6%). Within 7 cases of chronic pancreatitis with unknown etiology, we encountered one case of ventral duct obliteration.

CONCLUSIONS

The minor duodenal papilla and aging do not likely play an important role in the occurrence of dorsal duct obliteration. Although frequency of obliterated ventral duct was low in our population, physicians, including gastroenterologists and endoscopists, as well as islet transplantation researchers should be aware of this possibility.

[A review of current methods in the diagnostics of morphological changes in chronic pancreatitis]

Chronic pancreatitis is a disease with well-defined histopathology, however, the diagnosis is not based on the grading of histological changes, but on the features registered by the methods of morphological and functional diagnostic procedures. The correct diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis is easy in advanced stages, but difficult in early stages of the disease. In this review, we present the current methods used (echosonography, computer tomography, magnetic resonance, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic echosonography) in the diagnostics of chronic pancreatitis.

Anatomical features of the minor duodenal papilla in pancreas divisum

BACKGROUND

Clinical expression of pancreas divisum is often explained as a consequence of relative or true stenosis of the minor papilla with dorsal duct obstruction. This anatomo-functional study of the minor papilla in pancreas divisum has included its topographical, functional and structural features.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was carried out on 37 human autopsy specimens of duodenopancreas, which underwent pancreatography, manometrically controlled perfusion and light microscopy.

RESULTS

One pancreas divisum was detected in the study group. In this case, the distances between the minor and the major papilla was 24.0 mm, and between the minor papilla and the superior duodenal flexure 27.4 mm. The minor papilla was patent when perfused under pressure of 10 mmHg, and its light microscopy revealed regular global histological organization with only light fibrosis and no cellular atypia.

CONCLUSIONS

The structure and position of the minor papilla in pancreas divisum did not significantly differ from the ones in fused pancreases.