Open AccessComplete pancreatic heterotopia of gallbladder with hypertrophic duct simulating an adenomyoma
Author(s) -
Luca Pilloni,
Alessandro Cois,
A Uccheddu,
Rossano Ambu,
Pierpaolo Coni,
Gavino Faa
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
world journal of gastroenterology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.427
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 2219-2840
pISSN - 1007-9327
DOI - 10.3748/wjg.v12.i11.1786
Subject(s) - gallbladder , medicine , adenomyoma , abdomen , pancreas , palpation , heterotopia (medicine) , pancreatic duct , pathology , anatomy , radiology , alternative medicine
The gallbladder is an unusual location of pancreatic heterotopia, defined as the presence of pancreatic tissue lacking anatomical and vascular continuity with the main body of the gland. A 28-year-old man presented with anorexia, nausea and pain in the right upper abdomen. On physical examination, the abdomen was tender to palpation and Murphy sign was positive. The patient underwent a cholecystecomy. This case, in our opinion, is very interesting since it permits to consider a controversial issue in the pathology of the gallbladder. The histological appearance of ductal structure in pancreatic heterotopia resembles the histological picture of both Aschoff-Rokitansky (AR) sinuses and adenomyomas. This finding suggests that these lesions are linked by a common histogenetic origin. We suggest that the finding of an adenomyoma in the gallbladder should prompt an extensive sampling of the organ in order to verify the coexistence of pancreatic rests.