Pancreatic Divisum: An Unusual Cause of Chronic Pancreatitis in a Young Patient

Abstract

Pancreatic divisum is a condition that occurs in 4-14% of the population. Pancreatic divisum occurs in development when the ventral bud and dorsal bud of the pancreas fail to fuse. Patients with this condition are usually asymptomatic, however, 25-38% of these patients experience recurrent pancreatitis that may further progress to chronic pancreatitis. This case is of a 20-year-old female presenting with abdominal pain in the left and right upper quadrants of the abdomen with a significant history of recurrent pancreatitis since the age of seven. The patient was examined with computed tomography (CT), which identified pancreatitis. Further magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) assisted in the diagnosis of a type III pancreatic divisum, given the remnant of short communication between the dorsal and ventral duct.