The pancreas is a J-shaped organ located behind the stomach that produces enzymes to digest food and hormones like insulin and glucagon to regulate blood sugar. It has a head, neck, body, and tail. The pancreas has both exocrine cells that release enzymes via pancreatic ducts and endocrine cells clustered in pancreatic islets that secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream.

1. The Pancreas

3. Introduction
• The pancreas is an elongated, tapered organ
located across the back of the belly, behind
the stomach.
• The right side of the organ—called the
head—is the widest part of the organ and lies
in the curve of the duodenum, the first
division of the small intestine.
• The tapered left side extends slightly
upward—called the body of the pancreas—
and ends near the spleen—called the tail.

4. Size and Shape
• It is J – shaped or retort
shaped, set obliquely. The
bowl of the retort
represents its head , and
the stem of the retort , its
neck , body and tail.
• It is about 15-20 cm long
• 2.5-3.8 cm broad and
1.2-1.8 cm thick and
weighs about 90 g

5. Division
• The pancreas is divided ( from right to left )
into the head, the neck, the body and tail.
• The head is enlarged and lies within the
concavity of duodenum.
• The tail reaches the hilum of the spleen.
• The entire organ lies posterior to the
stomach separated from it by the lesser sac.

7. Head of Pancreas
• Head is the enlarged flattened right end of the
pancreas, situated within the curve of duodenum.
• The head has three borders : superior, inferior and
right lateral.
• It has two surfaces: anterior and posterior
• It has one process called the uncinate process,
which projects from the lower and left part of the
head towards left.

8. • The superior border is overlapped by the first
part of the duodenum and is related to the
superior pancreaticoduodenal artery.
• The inferior border is related to the third part
of the duodenum and to the
inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery.
• The right lateral border is related to the
second part of the duodenum, the terminal part of
the bile duct and the anastomosis between
the two pancreaticoduodenal arteries.

9. • TWO SURFACES
• The anterior surface is related , from above
downwards to
• 1.the gastroduodenal artery
• 2.the tranverse colon,
• 3.the jejunum which separated from it by
• peritonium.

10. • The posterior surface is related to
• 1. the inferior vena cava.
• 2.the terminal parts of the renal vein
• 3.the right crus of the diaphragm
• 4.the bile duct

11. Neck of Pancreas
• This is the slightly constrictedpart of the pancreas
between its head and body.
• It is directed forwards, upwards and to the left.
• It has two surfaces, anterior and posterior.

12. Body of the pancreas
• The body of the pancreas is elongated.
• It extends from its neck to the tail.
• It passes towards the left with a slight upward
• and backward inclination.
• It has 3 borders, 3 surfaces

13. Three border
• The anterior border provides attachment to the
root of the transverse mesocolon.
• The superior border is related to coeliac trunk
over the tuber omentale, the hepatic artery to the
right ,and the splenic artery to the left.
• The inferior border is related to the
superior
• mesenteric vessels at its right end.

14. Tail of Pancreas
• This is the narrow left end of the pancreas .
• It lies in the lienorenal ligament together
with the splenic vessels.
• It comes into contact with the lower part
of the gastric surface of the spleen.

15. Ducts of Pancreas
• The exocrine pancreas is drained by two ducts
• The main pancreatic duct (wirsung’s duct)
• The accessory pancreatic duct (Santorini’s duct)

16. Arterial Supply
• Pancreatic branches of the splenic artery
• The superior pancreaticoduiodenal artery
• The inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery.

17. Venous Drainage
Vein drain into splenic, superior mesenteric and portal veins

18. Lymphatic drainage
• Rich periacinar network that drain into 5 nodal
• groups
– Superior nodes
– Anterior nodes
– Inferior nodes
– Posterior PD nodes
– Splenic nodes

20. The exocrine pancreas
• This consists of a large number of lobules made
up of small acini, the walls of which consist of
secretory cells.
• Each lobule is drained by a tiny duct and these
unite eventually to form the pancreatic duct,
which extends the whole length of the gland and
opens into the duodenum.
• The function of the exocrine pancres is to produce
pancreatic juice containing enzymes that digest
carbohydrates, protein and fats.

21. The Endocrine Pancreas
• Distributed throughout the gland are groups of
specialised cells called the pancreatic islets
(islets of langerhans).
• The endocrine pancreas secretes the hormones
insulin and glucagon, which are principally
concerned with control of blood glucose
levels.
• The islets have no duct so the hormones diffuse
directly into the blood.

22. Cells
 Alpha cells produce glucagon.
 Beta cells produce insulin.
 Delta cells produce somatostatin

24. Congenital Anomalies
• Congenital anomalies can be defined
as structural or functional anomalies
(for example, metabolic disorders) that
occur during intrauterine life and can
be identified prenatally, at birth, or
sometimes may only be detected later
in infancy