The literature on pancreatic lithiasis reveals that investigators disagree on the exact number of cases reported. However, all are in unanimous agreement with the statement that this finding is rare. Various writers have attempted to establish the infrequency of pancreatic calculi. The figures obtained in our review of the literature are given in the accompanying table.
A study of these figures presents the possibility that reduplication occurs in some instances. It must also be conceded that many other cases are excluded which have not been reported. Haggard and Kirtley1 reviewed the literature on pancreatic calculi in 1939. Their report covers a period of two hundred and seventy-one years. They could find authentic records of 204 cases. Only 65 of these were observed at operation. To this number should be added 3 reported by Townsend2 and 18 seen at the Mayo Clinic.3 This would bring the total number