Extraluminal heterotopic pancreatic tissue: An unusual finding

Abstract

Heterotopic pancreas is defined as pancreatic tissue outside usual anatomic location of the pancreas. The most common location is in the submucosa of the proximal part of the gastrointestinal tract, namely stomach, duodenum, and jejunum. Less commonly, other locations have been reported like the mesentery. It usually presents as an incidental finding during the investigation or operation for acute abdomen. We here present a case of unusual heterotopic extraluminal pancreatic tissue found as scattered multiple tiny spots on the surface of the distal small bowel and its mesentery detected during a laparoscopic appendectomy. A finding that we believe has not been reported before.