Pancreas divisum is the most common congenital (present at birth) pancreatic anomaly, occurring in approximately 10% of individuals. The pancreas is initially in two parts, each with its own duct (the ventral and dorsal duct). During fetal development, there is fusion of the two parts of the pancreas, as well as the two ducts to form one pancreatic duct. Pancreas divisum is failure of the ventral and dorsal ducts to fuse and as a result the pancreas drains by two distinct ducts.
Parapelvic renal cysts are common findings of small fluid sacs adjacent to the renal pelvis (the enlarged upper end of the ureter, which carries urine from the kidney to the urinary bladder) or renal sinus (a fat filled cavity inside the kidney). Parapelvic cysts usually do not cause symptoms, but sometimes may grow in size leading to kidney infection (pyelonephritis), kidney stones, hematuria (blood in the urine) or hydronephrosis (swelling of a kidney due to a build-up of urine).
A parathyroid adenoma is a noncancerous (benign) tumor of the parathyroid glands. The parathyroid glands are four small lentil-sized glands right next to the thyroid that help regulate the body’s calcium and phosphorus levels. If there is concern about their function, further evaluation and management is needed, which can include blood testing of calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels.
A paraumbilical hernia occurs when part of the intestine or fat sticks out through an opening in the abdominal muscles with close approximation to the umbilicus (where the umbilical cord passed prior to birth). This creates a soft swelling or bulge near the navel. In adults, paraumbilical hernias are most often acquired due to increased intra-abdominal pressure brought on by obesity, straining with heavy lifting or coughing, or pregnancy.
Pelvic floor dysfunction is the inability to control the muscles of the pelvic floor. These muscles support the organs in the pelvis, and some form a sling around the rectum and vagina. Contracting and relaxing these muscles allows an individual to control bowel movements, urination, and, for women particularly, sexual intercourse. Pelvic floor dysfunction forces muscles to contract (tighten) rather than relax. Because of this, a person can have difficulty in clearing a bowel movement, have an incomplete bowel movement, a frequent need to urinate or may leak urine or stool.
PCOS is a hormonal condition that causes women of reproductive age to have irregular periods, increased weight, symptoms of hyperandrogenism (acne, facial hair, male-pattern hair loss) and difficulty getting pregnant. 5-8% of women have PCOS. The cause of PCOS is unclear; however, the mechanism is thought to be overproduction of testosterone by the ovaries.
