Endoscopic Findings of Ectopic Pancreas in the Stomach

Park, Byung Kyu; Park, Soo Jin; Paik, Yong Han; Ko, Jun Sang; Lee, Yong Chan; Song, Si Young; Chung, Jae Bock; Moon, Young Myung; Kang, Jin Kyung; Park, In Suh

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Ectopic pancreas in the stomach is a relatively uncommon abnormality. Although its typical finding on endoscopy was described as a submucosal nodule with central umbilication, it is still difficult to differenciate ectopic pancreas from other pathologies. So we investigated the endoscopic findings of ectopic pancreas in the stomach. METHODS: Between Jan. 1987 and Aug. 1998, nineteen patients who underwent gastroendoscopy and were histologically diagnosed as ectopic pancreas by various methods, were encountered at the Department of Internal Medicine, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University. The clinicopathologic records of all the patients were reviewed. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 39.3 years old with a male to female ratio of 1:2.8. Endoscopically, seventeen cases (89.5%) were suggestive of submucosal tumors. Submucosal tumors combined with umbilication were in 4 cases (21.1%), with ulceration in 2 cases (10.5%), erosion in 5 cases (26.3%), ulceration and erosion in 1 case (5.3%), and normal mucosa in 5 cases (26.3%) respectively. The size of ectopic pancreas was in the range of 0.8-3.0 cm, except in one case which measured 6.0 cm. The location of ectopic pancreas was in the antrum in 18 cases (94.7%), and in the angle in 1 case (5.3%). The endoscopic diagnoses were ectopic pancreas in 5 cases (26.3%), submucosal tumor in 12 cases (63.1%), gastric polyp in 2 cases (10.5%). The methods of histologic diagnosis of ectopic pancreas in 3 cases (15.8%) was by endoscopic biopsy, by endoscopic submucosal resection in 10 cases (52.6%), and by operation in 6 cases (31.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Ectopic pancreas in the stomach is found in various morphology, presented as submucosal tumors in the antrum. Because histological diagnosis by endoscopic forcep biopsy is difficult in many cases, endoscopic submucosal resection or operation should be considered.