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Ansa Pancreatica, an Uncommon Cause of Acute, Recurrent Pancreatitis
Danial H Shaikh1,2, Ahmed Alemam1,2, Jennifer von Ende3
1Division of Gastroenterology, BronxCare Health System, Icahn School of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA.
Abstract:
The pancreatic duct is vulnerable to developmental anomalies which may produce variations in its course and/or its configuration. Ansa pancreatica is the least common anatomic variant. It is characterized by the formation of an "S-shaped loop" from the main pancreatic duct to the minor papilla. Ansa pancreatica has been implicated as a cause of recurrent acute pancreatitis. We review existing literature on pancreatitis secondary to the ansa deformity and present a case of recurrent acute pancreatitis in a patient who was ultimately found to have the ansa deformity on endoscopic ultrasound.
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