In this chapter, the embryologic and anatomic characteristics of the bile ducts and gallbladder are reviewed, with a focus on information useful for diagnosing and treating biliary tract disease and understanding the anomalies and congenital malformations of these structures. Biliary…
Since the first report of ERCP and endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy in 1974, there have been numerous advances in ERCP techniques. Less invasive diagnostic modalities including EUS, CT, and MRCP have replaced diagnostic ERCP. However, therapeutic ERCP remains useful for the…
Pancreatic cancer The most common malignancy arising from the pancreas is a ductal adenocarcinoma. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a highly lethal malignancy representing 3% of all cancer cases in the USA but representing 7% of all cancer deaths. There were approximately…
Chronic pancreatitis is a syndrome, encompassing a spectrum of conditions which culminate in a similar phenotype. The traditional definition of chronic pancreatitis has been based on histology, demonstrating chronic and irreversible damage to the pancreas. Chronic inflammation, fibrosis, and eventual…
Incidence and Burden of Disease The human and financial burden of acute pancreatitis (AP) continues to grow, and it is now one of the most common reason for hospitalization with a GI condition. Many studies demonstrate a variable yet consistent…
Acknowledgment The authors would like to acknowledge the contribution of Celeste Shelton CGC, PhD, Mark Haupt MD, and Brandon Blobner PhD for critically reviewing of this chapter. Background The new paradigm of precision medicine provides a robust framework for understanding…
The exocrine pancreas has been of considerable interest to physiologists and other scientists for quite some time; in fact, the first demonstration of a hormone action was in the pancreas around the turn of the 20th century. The pancreas has…
History of the Pancreas Although the identity of the pancreas has been known for some time, its critical digestive functions were only recently appreciated. , The first description of the pancreas was made by the Greek physician Herophilos at around…
Gastric cancer remains a major cause of cancer-related mortality in the world, despite declining rates of incidence in many industrialized countries. In this chapter, we mainly discuss gastric adenocarcinoma, which makes up most of gastric malignancies. Epidemiology Gastric cancer is…
An ulcer in the GI tract can be defined as a 5 mm or larger break in the lining of the mucosa, with appreciable depth at endoscopy or with histologic evidence of submucosal extension. An erosion is a break less…