Iranian Journal of Pathology

Heterotopic Pancreatic Tissue in Gallbladder: A Report of an Unusual Entity at an Extremely Rare Location

Document Type : Case Reports

Authors

Mukta Pujani 1
Aparna Khandelwal 2
Kanika Singh 3
Meenu Pujani 4
Cherry Bansal 5

1 Department of Pathology, ESIC Medical College & Hospital, NIT-3, Faridabad, India

2 SRL Diagnostic Lab, Chandigarh, India

3 Department of Pathology, UCMS & GTB Hospital, New Delhi, India

4 Metro Heart Institute & Superspecialty Hospital, Faridabad, India

5 Dr S.S. Tantia Medical College, Hospital and Research Center, Sriganganagar, India

https://doi.org/10.30699/ijp.2025.2019770.3244
Abstract
Background & Objective: Heterotopic pancreas (HP) or ectopic pancreas is the occurrence of pancreatic tissue in an atypical location with absence of any neurovascular or anatomic connection with the normal pancreas. In an autopsy series, the incidence of this embryologic anomaly is 0.55% to 13.7% of patients. Gallbladder is an extremely rare site for ectopic pancreatic tissue with approximately 40 documented cases.
Case Presentation: We hereby report a case of incidental discovery of ectopic pancreatic tissue in the excised gallbladder from a 27-year-old female who presented with nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain intermittently. The gallbladder lumen was filled with biliary sludge containing a single gallstone. Histopathology revealed chronic cholecystitis along with a tiny focus of ectopic pancreatic tissue comprising only pancreatic acini.
Conclusion: This case highlights that histopathology should be mandatory for all excised gallbladder specimens and that this entity should be considered among the differentials for nodular/polypoidal gallbladder lesions. Although the cases where the ectopic pancreas is discovered incidentally do not have much clinical significance, this may prevent the patient from undergoing more aggressive treatment reserved for conditions like pancreatitis or malignancy in cases where the ectopic pancreas mimics a malignancy.

Keywords

Heterotopic pancreas
ectopic pancreas
gallbladder

Subjects

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Iranian Journal of Pathology
Volume 20, Issue 2
Spring 2025
Pages 231-234

  • Receive Date 04 May 2024
  • Revise Date 05 January 2025
  • Accept Date 05 February 2025

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