Mesopancreas: myth or reality?
BACKGROUND
A recently published study hypothesized the concept of 'mesopancreas', defining it as a firm, well-vascularized structure extending from the posterior surface of the pancreatic head to behind the mesenteric vessels.


OBJECTIVE
To verify and define mesopancreas from resection specimens obtained from fresh cadavers.


METHODS
Postmortem anatomical-pathological study.


METHODS
Department of Surgery in conjunction with the Departments of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, Government Medical College and Hospital, Jabalpur, MP, India.


METHODS
Twenty fresh adult cadavers without any intra-abdominal injury or gross intra-abdominal pathology.


METHODS
Specimens containing the entire duodenum, pancreatic head and neck, gallbladder, cystic duct, common bile duct, superior mesenteric vessels, inferior vena cava and aorta were removed en-bloc. Gross and histopathological examinations of the specimens were carried out.


METHODS
To look for a fibrous sheath or fascia around the retropancreatic structure purported to be a mesopancreas.


RESULTS
Loose areolar tissue, adipose tissue, peripheral nerve, nerve plexus, lymphatic and capillaries were found in the retropancreatic tissue, extending from the head, neck and uncinate process of pancreas to the aorto-caval groove but no fibrous sheath or fascia was found around these structures.


CONCLUSIONS
The concept of 'mesopancreas' is anatomically unfounded.
Agrawal
Manish K
MK
Department of Surgery, Government NSCB Medical College, Jabalpur, MP, India.
Thakur
Dilip Singh
DS
Somashekar
Uday
U
Chandrakar
Shiv Kumar
SK
Sharma
Dhananjaya
D
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000328:Adult; D002102:Cadaver; D002447:Celiac Plexus / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D004210:Dissection; D004386:Duodenum / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005205:Fascia / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000294:innervation; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D008208:Lymphatic System / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D010179:Pancreas / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000294:innervation; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology*; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013152:Splanchnic Circulation; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000033:anatomy & histology