The pancreas is a glandular organ that is responsible for the proper functioning of the digestive and endocrine systems, and therefore, it affects the condition of the entire body. Consequently, it is important to effectively diagnose and treat diseases of this organ. According to clinicians, pancreatitis—a common disease affecting the pancreas—is one of the most complicated and demanding diseases of the abdomen. The classification of pancreatitis is based on clinical, morphologic, and histologic criteria. Medical doctors distinguish, inter alia, acute pancreatitis (AP), the most common causes of which are gallstone migration and alcohol abuse. Effective diagnostic methods and the correct assessment of the severity of acute pancreatitis determine the selection of an appropriate treatment strategy and the prediction of the clinical course of the disease, thus preventing life-threatening complications and organ dysfunction or failure. This review collects and organizes recommendations and guidelines for the management of patients suffering from acute pancreatitis.

Intervertebral disc pathology is a common disorder that can be caused by genetic, mechanical, and behavioral factors; however, it is possible to slow its progression. Although environmental and behavioral factors were previously considered to be the sole causes of intervertebral disc pathologies such as disc herniation, recent studies have shown that genetic factors also play an important role. This review compares the perception of major risk factors from the last and present centuries. It also examines individual genetic and non-genetic factors acting as risk factors, as well as some approaches for preventing intervertebral disc pathologies, and compares available statistics regarding disc herniation.

The radial nerve is the biggest branch of the posterior cord of the brachial plexus and one of its five terminal branches. Entrapment of the radial nerve at the elbow is the third most common compressive neuropathy of the upper limb after carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel syndromes. Because the incidence is relatively low and many agents can compress it along its whole course, entrapment of the radial nerve or its branches can pose a considerable clinical challenge. Several of these agents are related to normal or variant anatomy. The most common of the compressive neuropathies related to the radial nerve is the posterior interosseus nerve syndrome. Appropriate treatment requires familiarity with the anatomical traits influencing the presenting symptoms and the related prognoses. The aim of this study is to describe the compressive neuropathies of the radial nerve, emphasizing the anatomical perspective and highlighting the traps awaiting physicians evaluating these entrapments.

Pancreatitis is regarded by clinicians as one of the most complicated and clinically challenging of all disorders affecting the abdomen. It is classified on the basis of clinical, morphological, and histological criteria. Causes of acute pancreatitis can easily be identified in 75–85% of patients. The main causes of acute, recurrent acute, and chronic pancreatitis are gallstone migration and alcohol abuse. Other causes are uncommon, controversial, or unexplained. For instance, cofactors of all forms of pancreatitis are pancreas divisum and hypertriglyceridemia. Another factor that should be considered is a complication of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography acute pancreatitis. The aim of this study is to present the known risk factors for acute pancreatitis, beginning with an account of the morphology, physiology, and development of the pancreas.

The accessory renal arteries (ARAs) are a well‐described variant of the renal vasculature with clinical implications for radiologists, surgeons, and clinicians. The aim of the present systematic review with meta‐analysis was to estimate the pooled prevalence of ARAs, including their variant number, origin, and termination, and to highlight symmetrical and asymmetrical morphological patterns. The systematic review used four online databases in accordance with PRISMA 2020 and Evidence‐based Anatomy Workgroup guidelines. R programming software was used for the statistical meta‐analysis. A total of 111 studies were considered eligible for our initial aim. The typical renal artery (RA) anatomy (a single bilateral vessel) was identified in 78.92%; the overall ARA prevalence was estimated at a pooled prevalence of 21.10%. The estimated pooled prevalence of one, two, three, and four ARAs were 18.67%, 1.80%, 0.01%, and <0.01%. The ARAs have been the subject of extensive research owing to their clinical importance, including in kidney transplantation surgery and resistant hypertension therapy. Knowledge of the typical and variant anatomy of RAs is essential for anatomists, radiologists, surgeons, and clinicians in order to avoid misunderstanding, complications, and iatrogenic injury.

Thoracic outlet syndrome is a group of disorders that affect the upper extremity and neck, resulting in compression of the neurovascular bundle that exits the thoracic outlet. Depending on the type of compressed structure, the arterial, venous, and neurogenic forms of TOS are distinguished. In some populations, e.g., in certain groups of athletes, some sources report incidence rates as high as about 80 cases per 1000 people, while in the general population, it is equal to 2–4 per 1000. Although the pathogenesis of this condition appears relatively simple, there are a very large number of overlapping risk factors that drive such a high incidence in certain risk groups. Undoubtedly, a thorough knowledge of them and their etiology is essential to estimate the risk of TOS or make a quick and accurate diagnosis.