The Pancreas

The pancreas is elongated, and is situated transversely on the dorsal abdominal wall, with its right extremity on the ventral surface of the right kidney, and the left end touching the dorsal end of the spleen and the left kidney. The right portion has two lobes; the posterior lobe bends around the great mesenteric artery and the portal vein; the anterior one is pointed, extends downward and forward about in the median plane, and is attached to the portal fissure and the duodenum. The left portion is prismatic and rests mainly on the left sac of the stomach, its left extremity being included between the left kidney and the dorsal end of the spleen. The pancreatic duct passes from the anterior lobe directly through the duodenal wall, opening about five or six inches (ca. 12.5 to 15 cm.) from the pylorus. The interlobular tissue usually contains a good deal of fat.