ABSTRACT
The pancreas of the pig is extensive, and the tail follows the lesser curvature of the stomach from the spleen and left kidney to a position along the proximal duodenum (Figures 6.1 through 6.5). The majority of the pancreas is retroperitoneal. The head of the pancreas gives rise to the body, tail, and an uncinate process. The pancreas encircles the portal and superior mesenteric veins and extends dorsally to the region of the left kidney. The pancreatic duct is composed of two separate ducts draining the tail and body. They anastomose to form the common pancreatic duct (accessory duct) immediately prior to the pancreatic sphincter. The pancreatic duct enters the duodenum caudal to and separate from the bile duct in the proximal duodenum approximately 20-25 cm distal to the pylorus (Figures 6.2 through 6.5). Surgically, it may be readily identied as a rm, whitish structure along the caudal third of the portion of the pancreas that is associated with the duodenum. There is usually a single pancreatic artery supplying the tail of the pancreas as a branch of the splenic or common hepatic (gastrohepatic) artery. The pancreatoduodenal artery courses between the duodenum and the pancreas along its joint border and supplies both from a series of small branches (Figure 6.4). Venous drainage is through the splenic vein. Some variations in vascular and ductal anatomy may be encountered between breeds (Ferrer et al., 2008; Truty and Smoot, 2008). The pig pancreas has a high level of cholinergic control as in the human. Both exocrine and endocrine functions of the pancreas are negatively affected by anesthetics (Laber-Laird et al., 1992; Rådberg et al., 1999). The pancreas accounts for approximately 0.1%–0.29% of the body weight (BW) and increases in size with age and consumption of solid food.
