Intrapancreatic accessory spleen in a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)

• Published in: Journal of Veterinary Medical Science
• Main Authors: NAKAGUN, Shotaro, DÍAZ-DELGADO, Josué, GROCH, Kátia R., KOBAYASHI, Yoshiyasu
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: The Japanese Society of Veterinary Science 2018
• Subjects: Pathology; Phocoena phocoena
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5938203/; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29445074; https://doi.org/10.1292/jvms.17-0691

The occurrence of accessory spleens in cetacean species is high yet confirmed reports of intrapancreatic accessory spleen, a congenital malformation, remain undescribed. The current study provides the gross, microscopical, histochemical and immunohistochemical features of an intrapancreatic accessory spleen in a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). Grossly, a 17 × 18 × 9 mm well-demarcated, dark brown to red mass expanded the left pancreatic lobe. Microscopically, this mass consisted of mature splenic tissue interspersed with exocrine pancreatic acini. Intrapancreatic accessory spleens should be considered in the list of differential diagnoses for intrapancreatic nodular lesions in cetaceans.