PANCREATIC BIOPSY IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL IN BENIN CITY: A FIFTEEN-YEAR HISTOPATHOLOGICAL REVIEW.
Udoh M.O. & Obahiagbon I.
Department of Pathology
University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria
Email: ikflex@yahoo.com; Corresponding Author: Obahiagbon I.
ABSTRACT: Pancreatic lesions continue to be important causes of morbidity and mortality. The most significant disorders of the pancreas as reported in the developed world include cystic fibrosis, congenital anomalies, acute and chronic pancreatitis, pseudocysts, and neoplasms. Population distributions are mostly reported from the developed world and there is paucity of epidemiological data on pancreatic diseases from developing countries. The objective of this study was to determine the histopathological pattern as well as the age and sex distribution of the various lesions histopathologically diagnosed of pancreatic biopsy specimens in the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, between January 2005 and December 2019. It was a hospital based, retrospective review of the records obtained from the archives of the Department of Pathology (Morbid Anatomy), University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Nigeria. The reports of pancreatic biopsies received in our tertiary care centre over the 15-year study period were reviewed. Only 19 pancreatic biopsy specimens were received accounting for 0.05% of the total number of specimens received during this period. Nine (9) of them (47.4%) were from males while 10 (52.6%) were from females. The ages of the patients ranged from 6 to 71years, with a mean age of 50.3years. Eleven (11) cases were malignant neoplasms (57.9%, 10 primary, 1 metastatic), 4 were inflammatory lesions (21.1%) and 4 cases (21.1%) essentially normal pancreatic tissue. There were no benign neoplasms. Pancreatic lesions appear to be quite uncommon in our environment, with ductal adenocarcinoma being the most frequently encountered neoplasm in keeping with the global trend. The possible reasons for the low rate of pancreatic biopsy in this environment are discussed.
Keywords: Pancreatic biopsy, histopathology, Benin City.
