Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas. Pancreatitis has 2 forms: acute and chronic. Acute pancreatitis last for a short while and usually resolves when the pancreas recovers to its normal state.
Chronic pancreatitis occurs from repeated bouts of acute pancreatitis and the injury to pancreas continues which scars the pancreas. This makes it unable to recover to its normal state.
Causes of the condition
Pancreatitis occurs when digestive enzymes becomes active in the pancreas and start to “digest” the pancreas. Alcoholism and gallstones are the two most common causes of pancreatitis.
There are also several other causes:
Abdominal surgery
Certain medications
Smoking
Cystic fibrosis
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) when used to treat gallstones
Family history of pancreatitis
High calcium levels in blood (hypercalcaemia)
High levels of parathyroid hormone in the blood (hyperparathyroidism)
High triglyceride levels in the bloods (hypertriglyceridaemia)
Infection
Injury to the abdomen
Pancreatic cancer
Ulcer
Signs & symptoms
Acute pancreatitis
Upper abdominal pain
Abdominal pain that radiates to the back
Abdominal pain that feels worse after eating
Abdominal pain that is somewhat relieved by leaning forward or curling into a ball
Nausea
Vomiting
Tenderness when touching the abdomen
Chronic pancreatitis
Upper abdominal pain
Indigestion
Unexplained weight loss
Oily, smelly stools (steatorrhoea)
Diagnosis and treatment options
Test and diagnosis
Blood test
Stool test
Computerised tomography (CT) scan
Abdominal ultrasound
Endoscopic ultrasound
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Treatment
Treatment for various underlying causes include: procedures to remove bile duct obstructions, gallbladder surgery, pancreas surgery and treatment for alcohol dependence. Patients may need to fast if they undergo any imaging or interventional procedures.
Hospitalisation is usually required; pain medications and intravenous (IV) fluids may be prescribed.
