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| Question # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 |
| 1) What is the pancreas? (continued) |
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Fig.1-5 |
The pancreas is an integral part of the digestive system. The flow of the digestive system is often altered during the surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer. Therefore it is helpful to review the normal flow of food before reading about surgical treatment. |
| Food is carried from the mouth to the stomach by the esophagus. This tube descends from the mouth and through an opening in the diaphragm. (The diaphragm is a dome shaped muscle that separates the lungs and heart from the abdomen and assists in breathing.) | |
|
Fig.1-6 |
Immediately after passing through the diaphragm's opening, the esophagus empties into the stomach where acids that break down the food are produced. From the stomach, the food flows directly into the first part of the small intestine, called the duodenum. It is here in the duodenum that bile and pancreatic fluids enter the digestive system. |
|
Fig.1-7 |
Bile is a greenish-yellow fluid that aids in the digestion of fats. After being produced by cells in the liver, the bile travels down through the bile ducts which merge with the cystic duct to form the common bile duct. The cystic duct runs to the gallbladder, a small pouch nestled underneath the liver. The gallbladder stores extra bile until needed. The common bile duct actually enters the head of the pancreas and joins the pancreatic duct to form the ampulla of Vater which then empties into the duodenum. |
|
Fig.1-8 |
Instead of carrying bile, the pancreatic duct carries the pancreatic fluid produced by the acinar cells (exocrine) of the pancreas. The pancreatic duct runs the length of the pancreas and joins the common bile duct in the head of the pancreas. These ducts join to form the ampulla of Vater which then empties into the duodenum. Flow of pancreatic fluid indicated by dark yellow arrow. The food, bile and pancreatic fluid travels through many more feet of continuous intestine including the rest of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum which comprise the small intestine, then through the cecum, large intestine, rectum, and anal canal. |
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