Clinical Features of Patients with Pancreas Divisum

Abstract

Abstract: Between 1972 and 1992, 18, 128 ERCPs were performed. Pancreas divisum (PD) was diagnosed in 184 of these patients (1.02%). The clinical features of 108 cases were investigated (M53, F55, average age 54) who were encountered during the last 8 years. In a morphological study, we examined changes in both the ventral and dorsal ducts. An ERP of the dorsal pancreas demonstrated severe changes (SE) in 2 of 73 patients (3%), moderate changes (MO) in 4 (5%) and minimal changes (MI) in 17 (23%). When the ventral pancreas was examined, SE and MO occurred in one each of the 89 patients (1%), and MI in 5 (6%). The rate of ductal abnormalities in the dorsal pancreas (32%) was significantly higher than the rate in the ventral pancreas (8%). However, the dorsal duct changes did not correlate with alcoholism. The exocrine or endocrine function in the majority of the patients with PD was normal or slightly disturbed. An investigation of abdominal pain revealed that patients who complained of pancreatic‐type pain were 33%, and this rate was higher than the rate in the control group without PD (12.8%). In conclusion, it was suggested that PD was related to mild dorsal pancreatitis. (Dig Endosc 1994; 6: 80–86)