Pancreas
Endocrine · AnatomyTwo organs in one: exocrine enzymes for digestion, endocrine islets for glucose control.
The structures
- Head — Cradled by the duodenum — tumors here block the bile duct early
- Body & tail — Tail touches the spleen
- Pancreatic duct — Carries enzymes to the duodenum, joins the bile duct
- Acinar cells — Exocrine — amylase and lipase
- Islets of Langerhans — Endocrine — insulin (beta), glucagon (alpha)
Why it matters on shift
- Pancreatitis pain bores straight through to the back; lipase is the lab that clinches it
- Keep pancreatitis patients NPO early — every meal asks the inflamed gland to work
- New diabetes + weight loss + painless jaundice in an older adult = pancreatic head tumor until excluded
Source: Anatomical structures per OpenStax Anatomy & Physiology, 2nd ed. (openstax.org, CC BY 4.0). Educational reference — verify clinical application against your facility's policy.Reference only — verify against your facility's policy.
