Pancreatic Rest Definition, Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

A pancreatic rest is a form of submucosal nodule that arises when pancreatic tissue grows beneath the lining of another organ, known as the mucosa. This might occur in the stomach or the small intestine. The terms ectopic pancreas, heterotopic pancreas, and aberrant pancreas are also used to represent this condition.

In rare instances, pancreatic rest can induce pancreatitis, ulceration, bleeding, or organ obstruction. In most situations, pancreatic rest remains asymptomatic. Pancreatic rests that don't produce any symptoms typically don't need to be treated. To rule out the possibility of malignant growth, endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration, may be indicated in order to distinguish pancreatic rest from other submucosal nodules.

Pancreatic Rest Definition

Pancreatic rest often referred to as Ectopic pancreatic tissue, is a rare congenital abnormality defined as extrapancreatic tissue located away from the pancreas and without circulatory or structural connection. Although pancreatic rests are typically asymptomatic, the research has identified a number of clinical signs.

Pancreatic Rest Symptoms

Pancreatic rest is typically asymptomatic and is detected in the vast majority of cases incidentally during laparoscopy, endoscopy, or autopsy procedures. Pain, epigastric discomfort, nausea, and vomiting are common symptoms, despite the fact that they are frequently ambiguous when symptoms manifest. The presence of obstructive jaundice, stomach or intestinal obstruction, or bleeding are unusual symptoms that depend on the location and size of the pancreatic rest.

Pancreatic rest is generally uncommon and challenging to identify. . Diagnostic challenges might arise from nonspecific symptoms, testing that is unable to provide a definitive answer due to the location of the mass, ambiguous findings on CT scans, and challenging biopsies. Pancreatic rest should be taken into consideration while making a differential diagnosis for gastric and small intestinal masses, despite its rarity and difficulty in diagnosis.

Pancreatic Rest Causes

Numerous theories have been put up to elucidate the pathophysiology and incidence of pancreatic heterotopia, however, the exact underlying cause of pancreatic rest is still unknown. The pancreatic rest condition affects approximately 2% of individuals and is more prevalent in males than it is in females. The majority of individuals show no signs of a condition and experience no pain. If there is pain, it typically originates in the lower abdomen. The majority of pancreatic rests are discovered during routine radiography or endoscopic exams.

Pancreatic Rest Treatment

Generally, treatment is not required because most of the individuals remain asymptomatic. However, doctors recommend the proper evaluation of pancreatic rest to rule out the possibility of malignant growth. If a patient exhibits symptoms e.g. abdominal pain, discomofort, bleeding, nausea, or any other signs related to this condition then surgical resection is necessary. For differential diagnosis of this condition, endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration bipopsy should be performed to distinguish pancreatic rest from other submucosal nodules.