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| What function does the pancreas serve? |
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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.
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Fig.1-5
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| 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.) |
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Fig.1-6
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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.
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Fig.1-7
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What is bile?
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.
Flow of bile indicated by green arrows.
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Fig.1-8
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What is pancreatic fluid?
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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