10in long (2+3+4+1) tube lying in front of IVC and aorta. C-shaped loop around head of pancreas.
First 2.5cm is between peritoneum of lesser and greater omentum (rest is retroperitoneal)
Runs up, back & to R. Overlies gastroduodenal artery (284), bile duct, portal vein and beneath = IVC.
D1 often adherent to neck of GB ( lies over its ‘cap’) & is common site of biliary-enteric fistula.
Next 2.5cm passes back and up on upper part of head of pancreas to medial border of R kidney (261)
-
covered in front by peritoneum, and
inferior surface of liver lies over this.
Blood supply is from GD and CHA, other superior
arteries.
Curves down over
hilum of R kidney with head of
pancreas snug inside.
Anterior aspect crossed by transv mesocolon (so half
in infracolic, half in supracolic) (261)
Mobilized by Kocher manoeuvre; does not disrupt blood
supply coming in from HOP
Posteromedial wall contains ampulla of Vater at halfway; minor papilla enters 2cm cephalad. (285)
Curves forwards from
R paravertebral gutter over R psoas, gonadal vessels, R ureter
SMV and SMA emerges over it, and mesentery of
small intestine cross anteriorly (so that it is in
both right and left infracolic
compartments);
D3 hardest to mobilise due to these anterior
relationships.
Blood supply is from uncinate process.
Ascends to L of aorta, over L psoas, L lumbar sympathetic trunk (250) to reach lower border of pancreas. Covered by peritoneum and coils of jejunum.
Breaks free from
peritoneum to form duodenojejunal flexure, pulling up a mesentery for
the small intestine; ‘the inferior duodenal
fold’.
Further supported by Ligament of Treitz (a thin band of fibrous
tissue +/- smooth muscle), suspends superior and left
DJ flexure to right crus.
Internally thrown into folds plicae circulares or valvulae conniventes, but first 2.5cm are smooth at duodenal cap (smooth on barium swallow)
Paraduodenal
recess lies beneath upper end of
IMV; herniation -->
IMV thrombosis (253); exceedingly rare.
Inferior and Superior
duodenal recesses formed by folds of
peritoneum raised between floor of infracolic
compartment and lower & upper convexities of D-J
flexure. Retroduodenal
recess may form between these.
Mouths of recesses
all face towards each other cf caecal recesses face
away; herniae may spread to involve all 4 sites;
exceedingly rare.
But first 2cm (usual site of
ulceration) by hepatic, gastroduodenal, supraduodenal,
right gastric, and right gastroepiploic branches.
- hence D1 can be readily dissected away from the
Veins ® superior mesenteric and
portal veins (290)
Lymph ® with superior and inferior
pancreaticoduodenal vessels ® coeliac and SMA nodes (295)
Associated Major Veins
Splenic Vein
Origin in hilum, initially superior then behind the
body of the pancreas.
Receives left gastroepiploic vein near its origin.
3-13 pancreatic veins usually entering anterior and
superior surface before joining the SMV behind the
neck of the pancreas.
Recieves IMV in 3/4 behind body of pancreas; in rest
IMV goes to SMV; only tributary entering it from
below.
Occasionally receives gastric vein/s, instead of these
going to the portal vein.
SMV
Drains midgut
Originates in distal sm bowel mesentery, ileal, caecal
then ileocolic, ileal and jejunal branches, right
coli, and middle colic veins.
Variable length below the pancreatic border; usually
2-3cm before tributaries from right colic, inferior
PD, R gastroepiploic join.
Surgically significant here as site of shunt
anastomoses; not always possible.
The ileocolic artery usually passes posteriorly to it.
Under pancreatic head, receives pancreas tributaries,
can be reasonably sizeable
Right gastric vein may enter near its jx into portal;
at risk when dissecting the GDA off anterior portal
vein when mobilizing for pancreaticoduodenectomy.
PV
Forms behind neck of pancreas by union of SM and
splenic
ascends in free margin of the epiploic foramen behind
bile duct (to right) and hepatic artery (to left);
IVC related posteriorly
- but a difficult shunt option as not very mobile, not
always parallel, and IVC often distorted in liver
disease due to enlargement of Segment I
GDA overlies portal vein behind D1; dissecting behind
artery opens plane between PV and neck of pancreas
Has no tributaries in margin of lesser omentum; only
above and below.
Right branch receives a cystic vein.
Portal Hypertension
Numerous collateral channels form;
Submucosal veins of upper stomach and esophagus
- drain to azygos system
Inferior rectal veins; not the same as haemorrhoids
Ligamentum teres, umbilical vein, paraumbilical veins
to abdominal wall
Retroperitoneum with multiple small veins enlarging
--> diaphragm, adrenal, renal v's.