Diseases of the Pancreas

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The Pancreas
Pancreatic Diseases
Sources
What is the pancreas?
The pancreas is a narrow, flat organ about six inches long, with a head, middle, and tail section. It is located below the liver, between the stomach and the spine, and its head section connects to the duodenum. Inside the pancreas, small ducts (tubes) feed fluids produced by the pancreas into the pancreatic duct. This larger duct carries the fluids down the length of the pancreas, from the tail to the head, and into the duodenum. The common bile duct also runs through the head section of the pancreas, carrying bile from the liver and gall bladder into the small intestine. The bile duct and the pancreatic duct usually join just before entering the duodenum and so have a common opening into the small intestine.