The clinical significance of heterotopic pancreas in the gastrointestinal tract

Abstract

Summary A series of 34 histologically verified cases of pancreatic heterotopia in the records of the Department of Pathology at the University of Edinburgh between 1959 and 1979 has been analysed in order to determine the clinical significance of this unusual condition. In 13 patients (38 per cent) the heterotopic pancreatic tissue was symptomatic (i.e. the symptoms regressed completely on its removal). A correlation has been established between the presence of symptoms, the size of the lesion and the extent of mucosal involvement. Clinically significant lesions are greater than 1·5 cm in maximum diameter and are adjacent to or directly involve the mucosa.