[Heterotopic accessory pancreas in surgical pathology: review of 23 years experience].

Background: The abnormal presence of the pancreatic tissue in other digestive organs is rare but sometimes is the cause of some surgical diseases.

Material And Method: This retrospective study is focussed on heterotopic pancreas cases diagnosed in 2nd Surgical Clinic of "Sf. Spiridon" Emergency Hospital from Iaşi between Jan. 1986 and Dec. 2008.

Results: 22 patients (15 males/68.2% and 7 females/31.8%) aged between 23 and 76 years were grouped in A group--clinical symptomatic cases (3 patients/13.6%), group B--coincidental cases (17 patients/77.3%) and group C--incidental cases (2 patients/9%). Group A patients presented with obstructing prepyloric polypoid tumors and recquired antrectomy and gastroduodenal anastomosis. 13 patients of group B (76.4%) recquired surgery for pyloroduodenal stenosis and in 4 cases of this group with severe upper-GI bleeding, a subtotal gastric resection (3 patients) or antrectomy (1 case) was performed. In group C patients jejunal HP was histopathologically diagnosed during extensive intestinal resection for colonic malignancies (ascendant colonic and transverse colonic cancers) with jejunal invasion. HP cases were categorized as type I in 40.9% cases (ducts, acini and pancreatic islets), type II in 45.4% cases (ducts and acini) and type III (exclusively with ducts) in 13.6% cases. In 76% patients HP was localized in mucosal and submucosal layers, in 16% intramucosal and in 8% in subserous layer.

Conclusion: HP is most often an unexpected symptomless coincidental diagnosis during gastrointestinal surgical diseases.