Intrapancreatic accessory spleen

Area of Science:

• Developmental biology
• Pathology
• Medical imaging

Background:

• Accessory spleens are congenital anomalies where splenic tissue is found outside the normal spleen location.
• Ectopic splenic tissue can occur in various abdominal locations, including the pancreas.
• Congenital anomalies require careful examination during autopsy to identify associated syndromes.

Observation:

• A stillbirth male fetus presented with an accessory spleen located in the tail of the pancreas.
• The intrapancreatic spleen exhibited distinct red and white pulp but had intermingled pancreatic ducts.
• A second, smaller accessory spleen was identified at the hilum of the main spleen.

Findings:

• The intrapancreatic spleen was a well-demarcated congenital anomaly.
• Pancreatic ducts were found to be intermingled with the splenic parenchyma within the pancreas.
• The absence of morphological features of trisomy 13 syndrome suggested the ectopic spleens were incidental findings.

Implications:

• This case highlights the importance of thorough autopsy in identifying rare congenital anomalies.
• Understanding the relationship between ectopic splenic tissue and adjacent organs like the pancreas is crucial for diagnosis.
• The incidental nature of these findings in the absence of specific syndromes informs differential diagnosis in similar cases.