Agenesis of the dorsal pancreas and associated diseases.

Background: Agenesis of the dorsal pancreas is a very rare congenital pancreatic malformation and is associated with some other diseases.

Methods: A PubMed search revealed 53 cases of agenesis of the dorsal pancreas.

Results: In 28 patients with this congenital malformation hyperglycemia was demonstrated, 27 had abdominal pain, 16 had pancreatitis, 14 had an enlarged or prominent pancreatic head visible on computed tomography, and in a few cases, polysplenia, which may occur with various congenital anomalies of visceral organs, was described.

Conclusions: Difficulties involved in obtaining a firm diagnosis have led to a variety of terms being used to describe this congenital disease. Diagnosis of agenesis of the dorsal pancreas is inconclusive without demonstration of the absence of the dorsal pancreatic duct. Here we describe the embryological development of the pancreas, the so-far known cases of agenesis of the dorsal pancreas with associated medical problems, and the diagnostic measures to find the right conclusions.