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[Ectopic pancreas in Meckel's diverticulitis: a description of a new clinical case]
1Dipartimento di Scienze Chirurgiche - Cattedra di Chirurgia Generale II - Universitá di L' Aquila.
Insights
Ectopic pancreas, a rare congenital abnormality, is often found incidentally. This case highlights its unusual location in a Meckel's diverticulum, emphasizing surgical resection for prevention of potential complications.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Embryology
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Ectopic pancreas is a rare congenital anomaly resulting from digestive tract embryologic maldevelopment.
- It occurs in 0.5-14% of the population, commonly in the stomach, duodenum, or jejunum.
- Diagnosis is challenging, with most cases being incidental findings.
Observation:
- This report details a rare case of ectopic pancreas found within a Meckel's diverticulum.
- The patient underwent laparotomy for an unrelated colonic condition.
- Notably, the patient was asymptomatic from the ectopic pancreas, despite 50% of cases presenting with symptoms.
Findings:
- Ectopic pancreas in a Meckel's diverticulum is an exceptionally uncommon finding in medical literature.
- This case underscores the variability in presentation, including asymptomatic occurrences.
- Surgical resection is the recommended treatment to mitigate risks.
Implications:
- This case expands the known anatomical locations for ectopic pancreas.
- It highlights the importance of considering rare pathologies even in asymptomatic individuals.
- Surgical intervention is crucial for preventing potential complications associated with ectopic pancreas.
Abstract:
Ectopic pancreas is a rare congenital abnormality probably due to a derangement of embryologic development of digestive tract. Its frequency is reported in the literature between 0.5-14% predominantly distributed in the stomach, duodenum, jejunum. Such condition is extremely difficult to be diagnosed, in fact most of the case of ectopic pancreas are an accidental finding. We describe a case of ectopic pancreas located in the Meckel's diverticulum, resected at laparotomy performed for colonic disease. Although in retrospective review symptoms from ectopic pancreas are reported in up to 50% of the cases our patient was free of symptoms. In addition the finding of ectopic pancreas in Meckel's diverticulum has been described only seldom in the previous literature. Treatment however should always be resection in order to prevent complications that may occur, although rarely.