Anatomy
The pancreas lies in the epigastrium and left hypochondrium areas of the abdomen
It is composed of the following parts:
- The head lies within the concavity of the duodenum.
- The uncinate process emerges from the lower part of head, and lies deep to superior mesenteric vessels.
- The neck is the constricted part between the head and the body.
- The body lies behind the stomach.
- The tail is the left end of the pancreas. It lies in contact with the spleen and runs in the lienorenal ligament.
The superior pancreaticoduodenal artery from gastroduodenal artery and the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery from superior mesenteric artery run in the groove between the pancreas and the duodenum and supply the head of pancreas. The pancreatic branches of splenic artery also supply the neck, body and tail of the pancreas. The largest of those branches is called the arteria pancreatica magna; its occlusion, although rare, is fatal.
The body and neck of the pancreas drain into splenic vein; the head drains into the superior mesenteric and portal veins.
Lymph is drained via the splenic, celiac and superior mesenteric lymph nodes.
Read more about this topic: Pancreas
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