A histopathological study on the etiology of duodenal diverticulum related to the fusion of the pancreatic anlage.

In 18 of 27 cases a duodenal diverticulum, which usually occurs at "weak" spots in the bowel wall, penetrated the pancreas. Of these, 14 cases (77.8%) extended along the embryological fusion line of the ventral and dorsal components, which is considered to be the so-called "locus minoris resistantiae." In four cases the diverticulum penetrating the ventral pancreas was in close approximation to the locus minoris resistantiae.