[Abraham Vater and the Papilla of Vater - From publication to medical term].

The name Abraham Vater is internationally associated with the confluence of the common bile duct and the pancreatic duct. Vater's writings were published 300 years ago along with the most important anatomical publications of that time. In his experiments, he examined in particular the merging of both ducts and their physiological significance. The major duodenal papilla is neither part of the experiments in this publication, nor does Vater describe it in detail. Rather, Abraham Vater collects and discusses the knowledge of this anatomical region in his writing.