title: Accessory pancreatic duct patterns and their clinical implications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Accessory pancreatic duct (APD) designed to reduce the pressure of major pancreatic duct by forming a secondary drainage channel. Few studies have mentioned the variant types of accessory ducts and their mode of formation, some of these have a clear clinical significance. Present study is aimed to evaluate the possible variations in the APD and its terminations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty formalin fixed adult human pancreas with duodenum in situ specimens were studied by injecting 1% aqueous eosin, followed by piece meal dissection of the head of the pancreas from posterior surface. Formation, tributaries, relations, and the termination of the accessory pancreatic duct were noted and photographed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Accessory ducts revealed 50% belonged to long type, 22.5% were of short and ansa pancreatica type each, and embryonic type of duct pattern was seen in 5% specimens. 75% of long type ducts showed positive patency with eosin dye, followed by ansa type (44.4%), and least patency was found in short type (22.2%). With regard to the patency of the accessory pancreatic ducts towards their termination, we found 52.5% of the accessory ducts and 5% of the embryonic type pancreatic ducts were patent and in 42.5% of the specimen the ducts were obliterated. In 85% of specimens the minor duodenal papillae was anterosuperior to the major papilla and superior to the major papillae in 10% of the cases, and in 5% minor papillae was absent. The average distance between the two papillae was 2.35 cm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The knowledge of the complex anatomical relations of the gland with its duct, duodenum and bile ducts are essential for the surgeons and sinologists to plan and perform both the diagnostic as well as therapeutic procedures effectively.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Anatomy, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University , Manipal, India .
authors.forename: Lokadolalu Chandracharya
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Prasanna
authors.affiliation: Professor and Head, Department of Radiodiagnosis, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University , Manipal, India .
authors.forename: K V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Rajagopal
authors.affiliation: Senior Grade Lecturer, Department of Anatomy, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University , Manipal, India .
authors.forename: Huban R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Additional Professor, Department of Anatomy, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University , Manipal, India .
authors.forename: Kumar Mr
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Bhat
keywords: Minor papilla; Pancreatic divisum; Santorini