Accessory pancreas (patient information)
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What is accessory pancreas?
How do I know if I have accessory pancreas and what are the symptoms of accessory pancreas?
Some patients with accessory pancreas may not show any symptom. The disorder is revealed by other diseases such as diabetic, disorder of biliary tract or duodenum, or abdominal trauma or surgery. Other patients may have symptoms as the following.
Other health problems may also cause these symptoms. Only a doctor can tell for sure. A person with any of these symptoms should tell the doctor so that the problems can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
Who is at risk for accessory pancreas?
- A family history of pancreatic disorders
- Alcohol abuse
How to know you have accessory pancreas?
Tests and procedures used to diagnose pancreatic disorders include laboratory analyses of blood, urine, stool, and pancreatic fluid, and imaging studies.
- Blood tests: Specific blood studies are used to assess pancreatic function, including measurements of serum amylase, lipase, glucose, calcium, and triglyceride levels.
- Urine test: Urine amylase detect may also be useful for the diagnosis of accessory pancreas.
- Stool tests: Stool specimens may be analyzed for fat content. This may demonstrate pancreatic function.
- Pancreatic fluid secretin stimulation test: The secretin stimulation test measures the bicarbonate concentration of pancreatic fluid after secretin is given intravenously to stimulate the production of pancreatic fluid.
- Abodominal CT or MRI and biopsy: CT scans and MRI are often used to diagnose accessory pancreas. They can demonstrate the location and configuration of accessory pancreas, and show the organs nearby. These are helpful for determining determining whether surgery is a good treatment option. CT scans can also be used to guide biopsy and a biopsy sample is usually removed and looked at under a microscope. It is very important and valuable for diagnosis of accessory pancreas.
- Upper Gastrointestinal(GI) Endoscopy and biopsy: Sometimes the accessory pancreas locates in stomach or duodenum, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy may help find the focus. If abnormal areas are noted, biopsy can be obtained through the endoscopsy. The tissue samples will be checked by the pathologist under a microscope to detect whether pancreas tissue is present or not.
When to seek urgent medical care?
Call your health care provider if symptoms of accessory pancreas develop. If you experience either of the following symptoms, seeking urgent medical care as soon as possible:
- Severe abdominal pain
- Severe nausea and vomiting
Treatment options
Diseases with similar symptoms
Where to find medical care for accessory pancreas?
Directions to Hospitals Treating accessory pancreas
Prevention of accessory pancreas
What to expect (Outook/Prognosis)?
Copyleft Sources
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/a/accessory_pancreas/intro.htm