Annular pancreas in an adult managed by laparobotic surgery: a case report

Annular pancreas in an adult is an uncommon and infrequently reported anomaly which is characterized by the presence of ectopic pancreatic tissue surrounding the descending part of the duodenum. It is one of the few congenital anomalies of the gastrointestinal tract, which can manifest with symptoms late in life (Ravitch and Woods in Ann Surg 132:1116-1127, 1950). In adults, the factors initiating symptoms are recurrent pancreatitis, duodenal stenosis at the site of the annulus, or duodenal or gastric ulceration (Morrell and Keynes in Br J Surg 57:814-816, 1970). Operative management of these cases involves bypassing the obstructed duodenum. Duodenoduodenostomy is routinely performed in neonates and children. We report a case of annular pancreas in a 55-year-old male that was successfully treated with robotic duodenoduodenostomy.