Dr. Lee was born in Shanghai, China, and received his college and medical training in the United States. He is fluent in English and three Chinese dialects. He graduated with chemistry departmental honors from Harvey Mudd College. He was appointed president of AOA society at UCLA School of Medicine. He underwent internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship training at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.
Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Pancreas
divisum is a common congenital anomaly (an
anomaly that is present at birth) of the pancreatic duct(s). The
Pancreas is a deep-seated organ located behind the stomach. One of its functions
is to produce enzymes that are important for the digestion of food in the
intestine. The digestive enzymes, in the form of digestive juice, drain from the pancreas via
the pancreatic duct into the duodenum (the upper portion of the small intestine) where they aid in digesting food.
What causes pancreas divisum?
The human embryo starts life with two ducts in the pancreas; the ventral duct
and the dorsal duct. In more than 90% of the embryos, the dorsal and the ventral
ducts will fuse to form one main pancreatic duct. The main pancreatic duct will
join the common bile duct (the duct that drains bile from the gallbladder and
the liver) to form a common
bile and pancreatic duct which drains into the duodenum through the major
papilla. In approximately 10% of embryos, the dorsal and the ventral ducts fail
to fuse. Failure of the ventral and the dorsal pancreatic ducts to fuse is
called pancreas divisum (because the pancreas is drained by two ducts). In
pancreas divisum, the ventral duct drains into the major papilla, while the
dorsal duct drains into a separate minor papilla.
What are pancreas divisum symptoms?
The majority of individuals born with pancreas divisum
experience no symptoms throughout life, will remain undiagnosed and will not
require treatment. A small number of patients with pancreas divisum will
experience repeated episodes of pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is an inflammation of
the pancreas that can cause severe
abdominal pain and more severe complications.
Some patients with pancreas divisum may develop chronic abdominal pain without pancreatitis.
Doctors are not certain how pancreas divisum causes abdominal pain and
pancreatitis. One theory is that the minor papilla is too narrow to adequately
drain the digestive juices in the dorsal duct. The backup of the digestive
juices elevates the pressure in the minor duct that causes abdominal pain and
pancreatitis.
Pancreatitis is a rare disease in which the pancreas becomes inflamed, occurring when digestive enzymes are activated and begin attacking the pancreas causing damage to the gland. There are two types of pancreatitis, acute and chronic. Most commonly caused by alcohol or gallstones, it can lead to bleeding in the gland, serious tissue damage, infection, and cysts. Enzymes and toxins may then enter the bloodstream and seriously injure organs, such as the heart, lungs, and kidney.
Digestion is the complex process of turning food you eat into the energy you need to survive. The digestive process also involves creating waste to be eliminated, and is made of a series of muscles that coordinate the movement of food.
"Just a spoonful of sugar... " goes the song. But what happens to that sugar once you swallow it? In fact, how is it that you are able to swallow it at all? Your digestive system performs amazing feats every day, whether you eat a double cheeseburger or a stalk of celery. Read on to learn what exactly happens to food as it makes its way through your digestive system.
What Is Digestion?
Digestion is the complex process of turning the food you eat into the energy you need to survive. The digestion process also involves creating waste to be eliminated.
The digestive tract (or gut) is a long twisting tube that starts at the mouth and ends at the anus. It is made up of a series of muscles that coordinate the movement of food and other cells that produce enzymes and hormones to aid in the breakdown of food. Along the way are three other organs that are needed for digestion: the liver, gallbladder, and the ...
Digestion RSS
Healthy Living Tips
This site complies with the