The pancreaticoduodenal veins are veins located in the pancreas and drain blood from the pancreas and the duodenum (part of the small intestine).
The pancreas in the human body releases pancreatic juices that aid in digestion, by breaking down foods as they pass through the small intestine. The pancreas also produces hormones, such as insulin, which the body needs to function.
The duodenum is the first and smallest part of the small intestine. It receives partially digested food from the stomach and plays an important role in preparing it for absorption in the small intestine.
The pancreaticoduodenal vein has superior and inferior portions that each split into anterior and posterior veins. The anterior superior vein drains into the right gastroepiploic vein and the posterior superior vein drains into the portal vein, which transports blood to the liver, from the intestines and stomach, before transporting it to the heart.
The inferior veins vary in number but are still separated into anterior and posterior branches. They drain into the superior mesenteric vein.