Double plastic stent implantation for recurrent acute pancreatitis with incomplete pancreas divisum: a case report and literature review

Pancreas divisum (PD) is a common pancreatic malformation caused by the failure of fusion between ventral and dorsal pancreatic ducts. There is a small branch of communication between the two systems in incomplete PD, and this variation has an incidence of 15%. A 43-year-old female patient presented to our department with recurrent abdominal pain. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) showed that the ventral pancreatic duct was curved, with a local pouchlike dilatation. Endoscopic ultrasonography supported the diagnosis of incomplete PD and showed a thin branch of communication between ventral and dorsal pancreatic ducts. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and papillotomy of the minor papilla with double plastic stent implantation were performed. One pancreatic plastic stent was inserted across the minor and major papilla over the guide wire, creating a U-shape. The other wire-guided plastic stent was inserted through the minor papilla into the dorsal pancreatic duct. The pancreatic fluid drained smoothly after stent placement. During the 6-month follow-up, the patient remained well, without recurrence of pancreatitis.

Ansa Pancreatica, an Uncommon Cause of Acute, Recurrent Pancreatitis

The pancreatic duct is vulnerable to developmental anomalies which may produce variations in its course and/or its configuration. Ansa pancreatica is the least common anatomic variant. It is characterized by the formation of an “S-shaped loop” from the main pancreatic duct to the minor papilla. Ansa pancreatica has been implicated as a cause of recurrent acute pancreatitis. We review existing literature on pancreatitis secondary to the ansa deformity and present a case of recurrent acute pancreatitis in a patient who was ultimately found to have the ansa deformity on endoscopic ultrasound.

A Case Report-Endoscopic Treatments of 47 Incomplete Pancreatic Divisum (IPD) Cases in our Hospital – Special Emphasis on our New Procedures: Rendezvous Pre-Cut Method and Reverse Balloon Dilation Method

We have treated 47 cases of incomplete pancreatic divisum (IPD) in theses 7 years. They were classified by the modified“Hirooka’s classification”— stenotic fusion type I / II, ansa pancreatica type, branch fusion type I / II / III, and one was unclassified. 36 cases were treated by ESWL and/or endoscopy. In difficult cases, we performed our new endoscopic procedures-rendezvous precut method and reverse balloon dilation method, with good results. The therapeutic success rate of IPD via major papilla was 100% (10/10) and via minor papilla 96% (24/25) without severe complications. After endoscopic treatment, the prognosis was good in 32, fair in 3 and one had an operation. In calcified IPD cases, endoscopic treatments were performed many times by stone and pain relapse, and EPS is still placed in 24 cases.

Proximal Migration of Pancreatic Duct Stent in Pancreas Divisum: Challenges in Retrieval and Review of the Literature

Pancreas divisum is the most common congenital malformation of the pancreas. Sometimes it is considered an etiology when patients present with recurrent episodes of pancreatitis. Endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP) with selective cannulation of the minor papilla with sphincterotomy and stent placement are performed in these patients. Proximal migration of pancreatic stents in pancreas divisum is rare and challenging to manage. We describe a case of proximal migration of a pancreatic stent in a patient with pancreas divisum and perform a review of literature.