On which side is the pancreas in man?
The question, the location in the human body of such an essential organ as the pancreas, at least once worried everyone. Why is it so important?
The fact is that, knowing exactly where the pancreas is located, you can prevent and identify many diseases, with discomfort in the abdomen.
In addition, knowing what and where it hurts, you can take care of your diet and relieve the pain if the doctor has not yet prescribed treatment.
General information about the digestive organ
The pancreas is a small organ, although it has a very important function in the body and digestion. This organ of the gastrointestinal tract performs two important functions:
- Exocrine function - i.e. Like other exocrine glands, secretes the secret to the internal environment of the body, which is manifested in this case by the release of pancreatic juice, which contains various enzymes that help digest fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
- Endocrine function - as is known, serves to isolate important hormones that regulate carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism.
Physical characteristics
So on which side is the pancreas? Based on the name that was given to this organ, it is under the stomach. However, this is correct, only if the person lies on his back, because it is in this position that the iron really will be located directly under the stomach. If the person gets up, the pancreas will be behind the stomach, on the back of the abdominal cavity in the upper half of the abdomen.
Extended lobed formation has a pinkish hue and closely adjoins the duodenum.
In an adult, the pancreas can grow up to 22 cm in length, width( in the head region) to 3 cm, and the thickness of the organ can reach only 3 cm. The total mass of the pancreas is 80 g.
., The smallest organ also has three departments and a duct. Its main components are the head, body and tail.
Arrangement of the head of the body
The most thickened part of the pancreas is its head. It completely and closely envelops the duodenum in the form of a hook. From the body of the pancreas, the head is divided by a furrow, inside which the portal vein passes.
In addition, the head is santorinium in the pancreatic duct, which either merges independently into the duodenum through a small duodenal papilla, or( since this duct is an additional one) is part of the main duct. The majority of cases includes the confluence of the main duct( about 60%).
Body location of the body
The body of the pancreas in humans is slightly smaller in size than the head of the organ. Because of the shape's peculiarity, it is common to distinguish three surfaces in this part of the body:
- Front surface.
It is oriented to the front part, i.е.In the back of the stomach, slightly up. On this surface, the pancreas has a glandal tubercle( the bulge of the gland box) turned in its direction. - Rear surface.
This part of the pancreas is adjacent to the spine, abdominal aorta, inferior vena cava, celiac plexus, and also with the left renal vein. In addition, the posterior surface of the pancreas has special furrows, inside which there are spleen vessels. - Lower surface.
This face is facing down and forward, and from the posterior surface it is separated by a blunt posterior margin. The lower surface is located slightly below the root of the mesentery of the colon, which is located transversely.
Location of the tail
Based on the name, the tail of the pancreas has a shape similar to the tail, i.e. Conical. It is located slightly upwards, reaching the gate of the spleen, and also bordering the colon.
Location of the duct
The main duct of the pancreas( also called the pancreatic duct) is the duct through which the pancreatic juice passes.
It begins at the very base of the tail of the pancreas, then follows the entire body in parallel, and then merges with the bile duct, which is located in the large papilla of the duodenum. This is where pancreatic juice should fall.
Because of some features, in a small percentage of people anatomically, this duct can not flow through the large duodenal papilla, but through another opening, 2-4 cm above the norm.
Now, knowing exactly where the pancreas is located in humans, and what it consists of, you can easily determine what it hurts, and take the necessary measures. It will not be superfluous also to know that it is possible to diagnose a disease associated with the pancreas with a gastroenterologist.
