The anatomical study on the rat pancreas and its ducts with emphasis on the surgical approach.

It was intended to present information about the anatomy of the pancreas and especially to emphasize the variation of pancreatic ducts in the rat, which may guide researchers in experimental studies. In 27 adult rats, latex dye was introduced into the biliopancreatic duct, portal vein and arteries. The pancreas with the neighboring structures was studied with the aid of the dissection microscope and measurements were by means of micrometric ocular. The pancreas was divided into three parts i.e. the biliary, duodenal and gastrosplenic portions. The biliopancreatic and pancreatic ducts as well as biliary and duodenal portions of the pancreas could be seen ventrally with a minor procedure such as pulling the duodenum caudally, and additionally the entire pancreas and its ducts could also be reached dorsally since the stomach was turned cranially with the duodenum. The biliopancreatic duct diameter and length of the ducts were 1.01+/-0.03 and 28.86+/-0.59 mm, respectively. The anterior pancreatic duct originated from the biliopancreatic duct on different sides, 17.96+/-0.75mm away from the duodenal papilla. The anterior pancreatic duct drained the gastrosplenic portion of the rat pancreas and this duct, via the duodenal duct, partially collected secretion of the duodenal portion at a ratio of 74.07%. The posterior pancreatic duct opened to the biliopancreatic duct and its distance from papilla duodeni was changed from 0 to 8 mm. When the biliopancreatic duct is ligated at the level of the duodenal opening, the posterior pancreatic duct or a small duct from duodenal portion should be taken into consideration because these ducts opened to biliopancreatic duct at the level of papilla duodeni at a ratio of 37.04%. In conclusion, the duct system of pancreas had a great variation and therefore the success rate of the surgery could be increased when surgeons have more knowledge on variations of the duct system in this region.