W7: Pancreas: Anatomy, Physiology Pancreatitis & Pancreatic Tumours Flashcards
What are the 5 anatomical segments of the pancreas?
- head
- neck
- body
- tail
- uncinate process
What 2 vessels that branch from the aorta give the pancreas its arterial blood supply?
- Celiac trunk
- superior mesenteric artery
What does the gastroduodenal artery split into to supply the head of the pancreas?
- anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal artery
- posterior superior pancreaticoduodenal artery
What vessel branches from the splenic artery to supply the neck, body and tail of the pancreas?
dorsal pancreatic artery
What 2 vessels branch fro the superior mesenteric artery to supply the uncinate process of the pancreas?
- anterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery
- posterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery
What venous blood vessel passes behind the pancreas and changes name as it drains into the liver?
Inferior mesenteric vein to portal vein
What three blood vessels branch from the superior mesenteric vein to supply venous drainage to the head and uncinate process of the pancreas?
- anterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal vein
- posterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal vein
- anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal vein
What blood vessel branches from the portal vein to give venous drainage to the head and uncinate process of the pancreas?
posterior superior pancreaticoduodenal vein
What three veins supply venous drainage to the neck, body and tail of the pancreas?
- splenic vein
- inferior mesenteric vein
- inferior pancreatic vein
What is the ampulla of vater?
where the bile duct and pancreatic duct meet to drain into the duodenum
What two ducts meet to form the common bile duct?
- Cystic duct
- common hepatic duct
What cells of the pancreas carry out the exocrine function and what do they secrete?
- acinar cells
- secrete pancreatic enzymes
What cells of the pancreas carry out the endocrine function and what do they secrete?
- Islets of Langerhans
- secrete hormones into blood
Approximately how much of the exocrine pancreas comprises of the parenchyma?
98%
What are the 4 cells in the Islet’s of Langerhan’s and which are there most of?
- alpha cells
- beta cells (most of these)
- delta cells
- F cells
What do beta cells of the pancreas secrete?
insulin
What do alpha cells of the pancreas secrete?
glucagon
What do delta cells secrete?
somatostatin
What do F cells secrete?
pancreatic polypeptide
What regulates secretion of pancreatic fluid from the acinar cells?
- vagus nerve
- gastrin levels
What are 3 major types of enzymes secreted in pancreatic fluid?
- protease
- pancreatic lipase
- pancreatic amylase
List two types of proteases secreted in pancreatic fluid?
- Trypsin
- Chymotrypsin
What are 4 additional enzymes (other than proteases, lipase and amylase) secreted in pancreatic fluid?
- ribonuclease
- deoxyribonuclease
- gelatinase
- elastase
What two substances are secreted by the epithelial cells lining the pancreatic ducts?
- water
- bicarbonate
Approx. how much pancreatic fluid is secreted a day?
1 litre
In terms of the causes of acute pancreatitis, what does the acronym “I GET SMASHED” stand for?
- Idiopathic
- Gallstones
- Ethanol
- Trauma
- Steroids
- Mumps (+ coxsackie B + viral Hepatitis, adenovirus, HIV)
- Autoimmune
- Scorpion bite
- Hypercalcaemia, Hyperparathyroidism, Hyperlipidaemia
- ERCP
- Drugs (azathoprin)
What is the function of cholecystokinin and from where is it secreted?
- stimulates release of bile
- secreted by epithelial cells in the duodenum
What is the pathophysiological theory of acute pancreatitis?
- blocked CBD or PD causes reflux of bile into pancreas and activation of enzymes
- release of pancreatic enzymes that then autodigest the pancreas
Why is activation of trypsinogen to trypsin in the pancreas particularly detrimental to acinar cells in acute pancreatitis?
Active trypsin cleaves and activates all the other pancreatic enzymes
An increase in what intracellular mineral is thought to activate trypsinogen?
Calcium
What are the 4 main stages of acute pancreatitis?
- Hypovolaemic shock + hypocalcaemia
- retroperitoneal haemorrhage
- pancreatic necrosis
- abscess formation
What leads to hypovolaemic shock in the first stage of acute pancreatitis?
oedema and fluid shifts
What leads to hypocalcaemia in the first stage of acute pancreatitis?
fats are autodigested in the peritoneal cavity meaning Ca++ binding is affected
What leads to retroperitoneal haemorrhage in acute pancreatitis?
autodigestion of blood vessels
What leads to abscess formation in acute pancreatitis?
Necrotic pancreatic tissue becoming infected
What is DIC?
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation -> overactive blood clotting
What can cause shock, pulmonary compromise, acute renal failure and DIC following necrosis in acute pancreatitis?
Release of toxic metabolites into blood
How does a pseudocyst form in acute pancreatitis?
Inflammation can lead to peripancreatic exudation or pancreatic duct leakage
What are the clinical symptoms of acute pancreatitis?
- acute onset epigastric pain/upper abdo
- pain radiating to back
- getting progressively severe
- nausea and vomiting
- jaundice
What can be found upon examination of a patient with acute pancreatitis and when severe?
- diffuse upper abdominal tenderness
- maybe fullness in epigastrium due to pseudocyst
- if severe: widespread guarding and absent bowel sounds
What are three classic signs on the abdomen of a patient with acute pancreatitis and describe these?
- Grey Turner’s sign (flank bruising)
- Cullen’s signs (periumbilical bruising)
- Erythema Abigne (hyperpigmentation, fish-net like erythema)
What are the main investigations carried out in acute pancreatitis?
- Bloods
- arterial blood gas
- xray
- ultrasound
- CT
- ultrasound
What are the specific blood tests in investigating acute pancreatitis? (10)
- FBC
- coagulation
- U&Es
- LFTs
- amylase serum
- lipase serum
- blood glucose
- plasma calcium
- crp
- lactate