pancreas (pan'kre-as)

Syn.: abdominal salivary gland. A long, reddish, acinotubular gland running transversely behind the stomach, about opposite the first lumbar vertebra. Its right and larger extremity, the head, lies in the curvature of the duodenum, while the left and smaller,# the tail, is in contact with the spleen. ered by the* Its stomach, anterior its surface is cov-is posterior separated from the vertebral column by the aorta, the superior mesenteric ve els, and the pillars of the diaphragm, and the inferior surface rests upon the junction of the duodenum and jejunum, and on the left end of the transverse colon. It consists of a somewhat loose aggregation of lobes and lobules, which empty by canals into a central duct (the canal of Wirsung) which traverses the entire length of the gland a little nearer the upper than the lower border. The human p., as also that of many animals, has normally two ducts, the main duct or the duct of Wirsung, opening into the intestine near or in conjunction with the bile duct, while the le er, or duct of Sant or in i, opens independently. It secretes the pancreatic fluid, and either has the action of modifying the blood or secretes a ferment destructive of glucose, as its extirpation is followed by glycosuria and azoturia. acce ory p. A small ma of ti ue similar to the p. situated close to it and apparently a detached portion of it. le er p. See little p. little p. A lobular semidetached portion of the posterior surface of the head of the p. which sometimes has a separate duct opening into the principal one. p. aberrans, p. acce orium. See acce ory p. [Gr., pas, pan, all, + kreas, flesh.]