PANCREAS

Halabja Technical College Of Applied Sciences

Medical Laboratory Sciences Department

Dr.OSMAN
15\12\2019

Prepared By:
KHUSHKAN MUHAMMAD
SAWEN ALI
NIGAR OMAR
NIGA TAHIR

1
 PANCREAS
introduction: The pancreas is a six-inch-long gland located in your abdomen near your liver and part of
the small intestine. It’s nestled right behind and slightly below your stomach and in front of your spleen.
The head of the pancreas is along the curve of your duodenum, the first part of the small intestine just
beyond the stomach.

The pancreas plays a dual role in your bodily functions:

• Endocrine system. The pancreas secretes hormones, including the blood sugar-regulating
hormones: insulin and glucagon.

• Exocrine system. The pancreas also secretes enzymes into your digestive tract through a duct
into your duodenum.

2
Function:
Endocrine system
As part of the endocrine system, the pancreas secretes two main hormones that are vital to regulating
your glucose (also known as blood sugar) level:

• Insulin. The pancreas secretes this hormone to lower blood glucose when levels get too high.

• Glucagon: The pancreas secretes this hormone to increase blood glucose when levels get too
low.

Balanced blood glucose levels play a significant role in your liver, kidneys, and even your brain. Proper
secretion of these hormones is important to many bodily systems, such as your nervous system and
cardiovascular system.

Exocrine system
As part of your exocrine system, the pancreas secretes enzymes that work in tandem with bile from the
liver and gallbladder to help break down substances for proper digestion and absorption.

Enzymes produced by the pancreas for digestion include:

• lipase to digest fats

• amylase to digest carbohydrates

• chymotrypsin and trypsin for digesting proteins

The pancreas is part of a larger digestive process that begins in the stomach:

1. The pancreas produces enzymes as soon as food reaches the stomach.

2. These enzymes travel through a series of ducts until they reach the main pancreatic duct.

3. The main pancreatic duct meets the common bile duct, which carries bile from the gallbladder
and liver towards the duodenum. This meeting point is called the ampulla of Vater.

4. Bile from the gallbladder and enzymes from the pancreas are released into the duodenum to
help digest fats, carbohydrates, and proteins so they can be absorbed by the digestive system.

❖ Parts of Pancreas:
The part of the pancreas that a tumor arises in will affect the symptoms it causes and how it is treated. The
pancreas is divided into four main parts.

3
The Shape of the Pancreas

head The head is the widest part of the pancreas. The head of the pancreas is found in the right side
of abdomen, nestled in the curve of the duodenum. Using the hand analogy from earlier, the
head of the pancreas corresponds to the palm of your hand.

neck The neck is the thin section of the gland between the head and the body of the pancreas. Using
the hand analogy, the neck corresponds to your first knuckles.

body The body is the middle part of the pancreas between the neck and the tail. The superior
mesenteric artery and vein run behind this part of the pancreas. Using the hand analogy, the
body corresponds to the middle of your fingers.

tail The tail is the thin tip of the pancreas in the left side of the abdomen, in close proximity with
the spleen. Using the hand analogy, the tail corresponds to the tips of your 2nd, 3rd and 4th
fingers.

What conditions affect the pancreas?

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most well-known conditions that results from endocrine system
dysfunction.

With certain types of diabetes, your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin to maintain your blood
glucose level. This can cause complications throughout your body, including:

• feeling extremely thirsty

• feeling exhausted without an obvious cause

4
 • losing weight without a change in diet or exercise

• frequent urination

• blurry vision

• tingling sensations in your hands and feet

• swelling or sensitivity in your gums

Other conditions that can affect your pancreas include:

• Pancreatitis. This inflammation of the pancreatic tissue is caused by enzymes prematurely

starting to work in the pancreas, before they’re secreted into the duodenum. Acute
pancreatitis is most commonly caused by gallstones blocking the main pancreatic duct, or by
drinking too much alcohol. It may only last for a few days on a sudden occasion, but it can also
become a chronic condition that lasts for years. Pancreatitis can cause multiple symptoms,
including abdominal pain, fever, and vomiting.

• Pancreatic cancer. This condition is caused by cancerous cells in the pancreas. Types of
primary pancreatic cancers include those that affect the endocrine and exocrine pancreas, and
pancreatic lymphoma. A cancer in an organ adjacent to the pancreas, such as the duodenum
or liver, can also invade the pancreas. Pancreatic cancer may be difficult to detect at first
because the pancreas is tucked away behind several large organs that may make it difficult for
your doctor to pinpoint a tumor with a physical examination or imaging tests. In addition,
symptoms may not be present early in the disease.

How do I keep my pancreas healthy?

prevent pancreatitis as well as conditions associated with pancreas dysfunction:

• Keep your diet low in fat. Fats and cholesterol can contribute to the development of
gallstones, which can lead to pancreatitis. A very high triglyceride level in the bloodstream can
cause pancreatitis. Eat lots of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, especially broccoli,
cauliflower, or cabbage. Avoid eating too many fried foods or high-fat dairy products.

• Lose weight and stay fit. Get regular exercise (20 to 30 minutes a day), and maintain a healthy
weight to prevent diabetes mellitus and gallstones that may lead to pancreatitis as well as to
improve your overall physical health.

• Don’t follow diet plans that promise quick weight loss. Your liver may accumulate to much fat
when you follow these extreme diet plans, which increases your risk of developing gallstones.

• Don’t drink too much alcohol. Alcohol is known to increase your risk of pancreatitis Trusted
Source and pancreatic cancer.
• Don’t smoke cigarettes or use other tobacco products. Any type of tobacco product can
increase your risk of cancer throughout your body, including your pancreas. Between 20 and
30% of pancreatic cancer cases are linked to tobacco use.

5
 • Get a regular physical. Pancreatic cancer is hard to detect in its early stages. If you’re found to
be at higher risk, get your pancreas regularly screened for cancer at an annual physical to
catch it early before the cancerous cells increase and spread.

Conclusion
All these expected outcomes will lead to a real break through in the field of diabetes health systems.
The outcomes will a) improve disease management through more precise measurement of health
status and involvement of the patients in their care process, increase the world wide access of
patients to better, secure and safe personalized health systems and reduce hospitalization and its
costs without compromising the health care quality and b) reinforce the leadership and innovation of
the industrial partners and contribute to the knowledge-based society and accelerate the
establishment of standards on personal health systems for diabetes.

References:

1. https://www.healthline.com/health/what-does-the-pancreas-do , Written by Tim

Jewell on March 9, 2018.
2. https://pathology.jhu.edu/pancreas/BasicOverview2.php?area=ba

6
7