Vascular Anomaly Associated with Ectopic Pancreas in the Pylorus

Abstract

The ectopic pancreas is a relatively rare congenital condition, defined as pancreatic tissue lacking anatomical or vascular continuity with the normal pancreatic body. The ectopic pancreas is most frequently found in the stomach, usually asymptomatic and discovered incidentally. We report the case of a 72-year-old man who was diagnosed with cancer in the gastric vestibule. Distal gastrectomy was performed, and 3 cm of the ectopic pancreas was found on the anterior surface of the pylorus intraoperatively. The gastroduodenal artery was not found by approaching the inferior border of the pancreas but by following the branches from the common hepatic artery. Posterior view CT confirmed that the GDA terminated in the ectopic pancreas. An ectopic pancreas may be associated with vascular anomalies. Clinicians must consider the possibility of vascular anomalies when operating on patients with an ectopic pancreas. If the gastroduodenal artery cannot be found intraoperatively, identification should be attempted by following the common hepatic artery.

Keywords

• distal gastrectomy
• ectopic pancreas
• heterotopic pancreas
• vascular anomaly