Heterotopic pancreas in the jejunum: highlighting the necessity of excision and histopathological confirmation – a case report

Heterotopic pancreas (HP) is a congenital anomaly characterized by the presence of pancreatic tissue that is anatomically separate from the main pancreatic gland without continuity of the duct system and vascularity. The most frequent locations for this displacement are within the upper gastrointestinal tract, particularly in the stomach, duodenum, and proximal jejunum. Other less common sites include the esophagus, ileum, Meckel diverticulum, biliary tree, mesentery, and spleen. Typically, uncomplicated heterotopic pancreas does not exhibit symptoms, and the lesion is often discovered incidentally during unrelated surgeries, imaging examinations, or autopsy. This report describes a 35-year-old male with a history of corrosive ingestion who presented with dysphagia. During surgical exploration, a tissue measuring 0.7 × 0.5 cm was observed approximately 40 cm from the DJ flexure in the jejunum. The identified tissue was excised and sent in for histopathological examination (HPE). In conclusion, we advise the excision of the ectopic tissue and recommend HPE because the diagnosis of HP cannot be confirmed without a thorough histopathological examination. Despite its rarity, heterotopic pancreas should be included in the differential diagnosis when evaluating gastrointestinal stromal tumors.