Gastric and intestinal ectopic pancreas: Two case reports

BACKGROUND: Ectopic pancreas may be unfamiliar to many people because it is rare and difficult to diagnose. However, this disease is highly susceptible to misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. In this article, we report two cases of pancreatic heterotopia in the gastric sinus and small intestine, respectively, both of which were confirmed by histopathological examination. CASE SUMMARY: The first patient was a 43-year-old female which reported abdominal distension for 2 mo. The second was a 67-year-old female who experienced intermittent epigastric discomfort for 15 d. In both cases, there was no confirmed preoperative examination, and the postoperative pathology indicated the presence of ectopic pancreas. CONCLUSION: The diagnosis of ectopic pancreas is difficult, and is often prone to misdiagnosis and the possibility of being overlooked. Various laboratory tests and imaging tests should be carefully evaluated before surgery to achieve early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment.