Annular pancreas
Definition
An annular pancreas is a ring of pancreatic tissue that abnormally encircles the duodenum (the part of the small intestine that connects to stomach).
Causes
Annular pancreas is thought to be caused by a malformation during the development of the pancreas, before birth. This condition may result in a narrowing of the duodenum due to squeezing by the ring of pancreas.
Complete obstruction of the duodenum is often seen in newborns with this condition. However, half of the cases occur in adults. There are probably many cases that go undetected due to mild symptoms.
There is an increased incidence of peptic ulcer associated with this condition. Annular pancreas affects approximately 1 in 7,000 people.
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