Ampulla of vater

Transduodenal resection of the papilla of vater

Tumors arising in the region of the papilla of Vater may have their origin from the distal bile duct, the duodenum, the ampulla of Vater itself, or the pancreas. Because the epithelium of origin is often impossible to determine and because their clinical characteristics are similar, these tumors are often described as periampullary tumors.