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Published on: August 19, 2017
Exploring the clinical characteristics and prevalence of the annular pancreas: a meta-analysis
Dawid Plutecki1, Patryk Ostrowski2, Michał Bonczar2
1Collegium Medicum, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland; Youthoria, Youth Research Organization, Kraków, Poland.
Insights
Annular pancreas (AP) is a rare congenital condition affecting the duodenum. This study found its prevalence to be 0.0045%, with duodenal obstruction being a common comorbidity.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Medical Genetics
Background:
- Annular pancreas (AP) is a rare congenital malformation.
- It results from the malrotation of the pancreatic ventral bud during embryonic development.
- This condition forms a ring of pancreatic tissue around the duodenum.
Conclusions:
- Annular pancreas diagnosis is challenging due to nonspecific symptoms, often requiring imaging studies.
- Understanding the clinical features and associated anomalies of AP is crucial for managing this rare condition.
Background:
The annular pancreas (AP) is a rare gastrointestinal congenital malformation, in which malrotation of the pancreatic ventral bud in the seventh week of embryonic development manifests in a partial or complete ring of tissue around the second part of the duodenum.
Methods:
The main online medical databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, Wiley online library, Web of Science, and EBSCO discovery service were used to gather all relevant studies on the AP.
Results:
A total of 12,729,118 patients were analyzed in relation to the prevalence of AP. The pooled prevalence of AP was 0.0045% (95% CI: 0.0021%-0.0077%). The most frequent comorbidity in adults and children was duodenal obstruction, with a pooled prevalence of 24.04% and 52.58%, respectively (95% CI: 6.86%-46.48% and 35.56%-69.31%, respectively). The most frequent operation in adult patients with AP was duodenojejunostomy, with pooled prevalence established at 3.62% (95% CI: 0.00%-10.74%).
Conclusion:
The diagnostic complexity of AP is accentuated by its nonspecific clinical symptoms, making accurate identification reliant on imaging studies. Therefore, having a thorough knowledge of the clinical characteristics of the AP and its associated anomalies becomes paramount when faced with this rare congenital condition.
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