Published online Nov 26, 2020. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v8.i22.5722
Peer-review started: August 2, 2020
First decision: August 21, 2020
Revised: August 24, 2020
Accepted: October 20, 2020
Article in press: October 20, 2020
Published online: November 26, 2020
Processing time: 115 Days and 4.3 Hours
Annular pancreas (AP) is a rare congenital abnormal rotation of the pancreas. AP rarely occurs in adults. Pancreatic tumors and ampullary tumors are related to AP, so the discovery and treatment of AP are essential.
This study investigated the clinical manifestations, imaging features, complications, and treatment of six patients diagnosed with AP at the Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, First Hospital of Jilin University from January 2010 to June 2020. There were four males and two females, with an average age of 56.00 ± 9.86 years old. In this study, abdominal pain and jaundice were the main clinical manifestations. Imaging can show the “crocodile jaw sign” or “double bubble sign”.
For patients with duodenal or biliary obstruction, physicians should give priority to AP when imaging examinations suggest that the duodenum is wrapped with tissue similar to the density of the pancreas. Symptomatic patients should actively undergo surgical treatment.
Core Tip: Annular pancreas (AP) is a rare congenital abnormal rotation of the pancreas. AP is related to the occurrence of duodenal ulcers, pancreatitis, and digestive system tumors. In this study, the clinical manifestations, imaging features, complications, and treatment of AP were analyzed. If the imaging results show the “crocodile jaw sign”, the vigilance of congenital malformed AP should be increased for patients with digestive system obstruction.