Organs
Pancreas
Interactive Pancreas
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The pancreas is a small organ, approximately six inches long, located in the upper abdomen and connected to the small intestine. The pancreas is essential to the digestive process in two ways: first it produces pancreatic endocrine hormones (e.g., insulin and glucagon) which help regulate many aspects of our metabolism and second it produces pancreatic digestive enzymes.
Pancreatic production of insulin, somatostatin, gastrin and glucagon plays an important role in maintaining sugar and salt balance in our bodies and therefore any problem in the production or regulation of these hormones will manifest itself with problems with blood sugar and fluid/salt imbalances.
The digestive portion of the pancreas makes up more than 90 percent of its total cell mass. The digestive (or exocrine) pancreas is responsible for making digestive enzymes which are secreted into the intestines to help digest (break down) the food we eat. These enzymes digest proteins, fats and carbohydrates into much smaller molecules so our intestines can absorb them.
The yellow "tube" running through the middle of the pancreas is called the pancreatic duct. It drains all the digestive enzymes from the pancreatic cells where they are made into the duodenum where they mix with food as it comes out of the stomach.
A pancreas is usually transplanted at the same time as a kidney. It is more complicated than a kidney transplant and takes longer to perform. The operation itself involves connecting the blood supply of the pancreas to the vessels that take blood to and from the leg, usually the right leg. The leg normally gets much more blood than it needs and does not suffer from the operation. In addition to connecting up the blood vessels another join has to be made into a piece of bowel to drain away the digestive juices which the pancreas produces. All this is done through an incision in the abdomen.
In 2003 there were 502 pancreas transplants. During that time period 32 people died while waiting for a pancreas transplant.
