Annular pancreas: May Clinic experience from 1957 to 1976 with review of the literature.

From a review of 266 cases reported in the literature and data on 15 other patients operated on a the Mayo Clinic for symptomatic, annular pancreas, the following three conclusions can be made. First, annular pancreas is an uncommon congenital anomaly, often not becoming symptomatic until late life. Second, complicating congenital and acquired disorders must be recognized it patients are to be properly prepared for surgery. Sometimes associated problems may be recognized, whereas the annular pancreas may be overlooked. The change of this happening is decreased by methodical inspection of the entire abdomen, especially all segments of the duodenum, because annuli can occur in any segment and can be partially or completely circumferential. Third, while there is no single operative procedure of choice, published experience militates against any direct attack on the offending annulus.