Pancreas Week 1 FINISHED Flashcards
What does -kreas mean in greek?
Flesh
What kind of gland is the pancreas?
An elongated accessory gland which is both an exocrine and endocrine gland
In which region of the stomach is the pancreas?
Epigastric and left hypochondriac regions
Is the pancreas peritoneal or retroperitoneal?
Retroperitoneal
The pancreas has a tough fibrous capsule. True or false?
False. It does not have a distinct capsule, It has a thin collagen capsule.
What colour is the pancreas?
Greyish/pink in colour
Where is the pancreas in relation to the stomach, duodenum and spleen?
Posterior to the stomach, running between the spleen and the duodenum
Where do exocrine glands secrete their hormones?
Secretes hormones onto the surface of an organ through ducts
How do pancreatic juices enter the duodenum?
Through the main and accessory pancreatic ducts
What are acinar cells?
Clusters of cells in the pancreas that have an exocrine function
What does acini mean?
Grape
What do pancreatic juices do?
Include digestive enzymes and juices which neutralise the acidity of the stomach acid
Where do endocrine glands secrete their hormones?
Secrete hormones directly into the blood stream
What hormones does the pancreas secrete?
Glucagon and insulin
What does glucagon do?
Stimulates the conversion of glycogen to glucose in the liver
What does insulin do?
Helps regulate the metabolism of glucose
What cells inside the pancreas make insulin?
Islets of Langerhans
Is the pancreas mostly an exocrine gland or an endocrine gland?
Mostly exocrine
In a picture of stained pancreatic tissue, what is dark and what is light?
Dark are the exocrine gland cells
Light are the islets of Langerhans
What are the 4 regions of the pancreas?
Head Neck Body Tail Uncinate
Where is the head of the pancreas located?
Within the duodenum, firmly attached to the medial aspect of the descending and horizontal parts
What other organs does the head of the pancreas rest on?
IVC
Right renal artery and vein
Left renal vein
What might form a groove in the posterior/superior aspect of the head of the pancreas? (or maybe even within the substance of the pancreas)
The bile duct
What is the bile duct?
A muscular duct through which bile passes from the liver and gall bladder to the duodenum
What is the purpose of bile?
To help break down fat in the duodenum
What is anterior to the pancreas?
The transverse colon and mesocolon and jejunum
What is in the lower part of the head of the pancreas?
The uncinate process
What does uncinate mean?
“Having hooks or barbs”
What is the uncinate process crossed by anteriorly?
Superior mesenteric vessels
How long is the pancreas?
15cm long
How long is the neck of the pancreas?
1.5-2cm long
What passes anteriorly and posteriorly along the border of the head and neck of the pancreas?
Anteriorly: Groove for gastroduodenal artery
Posteriorly: Posterior union between the superior mesenteric vein and the splenic vein forming the Portal vein
What does the superior mesenteric vein join to form the portal vein?
The splenic vein
What surface of the pancreas is covered by peritoneum?
The anterior surface
What is anterior to the whole neck of the pancreas?
The pylorus of the stomach
What does the body of the pancreas cross over?
The aorta and L2
Where does the pancreas lie in relation to the lesser peritoneal sac?
Posteriorly
What is posterior to the body of the pancreas?
The aorta, superior mesentric artery, left supra renal gland, left kidney and vessels, left crus of the diaphragm and the splenic vein
What is anterior to the body of the pancreas?
Covered with peritoneum, lies in the floor of the mental bursa
What is posterior to the tail of the pancreas?
The left kidney
Between the layers of what ligament does the tail of the pancreas pass?
The splenorenal ligament
Where is the main pancreatic duct found and where does it run?
From the tail through to the head, in the posterior aspect of the pancreas
What does the main pancreatic duct do when it reaches the neck of the pancreas?
It turns down, backward and to the right towards the bile duct
What does the joining of the main pancreatic duct and the bile duct create?
The hepatopancreatic ampulla
Where does the hepatopancreatic ampulla open into?
The descending part of the duodenum at the site go the major duodenal papilla
Where is the Sphincter of the pancreatic duct found?
Around the terminal part of the pancreatic duct
Where is the Sphincter of the bile duct found?
Around terminal part of the bile duct
Where is the Hepatopancreatic sphincter (sphincter of Oddi) found?
Around the hepatopancreatic ampulla
What are the sphincters around the ducts made of and what do they do?
Made of smooth muscle, they control the flow of bile and pancreatic juice
What does the accessory pancreatic duct do and where is it found? What % of these ducts drain into the main pancreatic duct?
It drains the inferior part of the head of the pancreas and opens into the duodenum (minor duodenal papilla). In 60% of cases it can drain into the main pancreatic duct
What is the arterial supply of the pancreas?
Mainly from branches of the splenic artery (up to 10 branches)
Branches from the gastroduodenal - anterior and posterior superior pancreaticoduodenal arteries
Branches from the SMA - anterior and posterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal arteries
What is the venous drainage of the pancreas?
The pancreatic vein which are tributaries of the splenic vein
What is the nerve supply to the pancreas?
PSNS = Vagus SNS = Abdominopelvic splanchnic via prevertebral ganglion (celiac) T5-T9
