FAQ for Acute Pancreatitis for the newbies on the group

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FAQ for Acute Pancreatitis

What is acute pancreatitis?

Acute pancreatitis is a sudden inflammation of the pancreas which is usually

associated with severe upper abdominal pain.

How often does this disease occur?

There are an estimated 50,000 to 80,000 cases in the United States each year.

What are the causes of acute pancreatitis?

The most common cause is gallstones. Other causes include alcohol abuse,

hereditary conditions, trauma, medications, infections, electrolyte

abnormalities, high lipid levels and hormonal abnormalities. In approximately

15% of cases, the cause of acute pancreatitis is unknown.

What are the clinical signs of acute pancreatitis?

Acute pancreatitis generally starts with a pain in the upper abdomen. The pain

can be severe, radiate to the back and may last for several days. Relief of pain

by sitting up and bending forward is characteristic of pancreatic pain. The pain

is often accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Other symptoms include diarrhea,

bloating and fever.

Can the pancreas become damaged?

Damage to the pancreas may occur when digestive enzymes it produces are

activated and begin attacking the organ.

What happens in severe cases of acute pancreatitis?

In severe cases the pancreas may become infected and antibiotics will be

necessary.

What is a pancreatic abcess?

A pancreatic abcess is an ill-defined liquid collection of pus that evolves over

a period of 4 to 6 weeks after the onset of acute pancreatitis. These occur in

only 3 to 4 % of patients with acute pancreatitis, usually in the most severe

cases. Surgical or CT scan guided drainage is sometimes needed.

What is a pseudocyst?

Pseudocysts of the pancreas are collections of tissue, fluid debris, pancreatic

enzymes and blood which develop over a period of one to four weeks after the

onset of acute pancreatitis and form in about 15% of patients with this disease.

They sometimes resolve on their own but they can persist and require surgical or

CT scan guided drainage.

How is acute pancreatitis diagnosed?

Diagnosing acute pancreatitis is often difficult because of the deep location of

the pancreas. A physical exam and blood tests to determine the levels of amylase

and lipase are often the first tools used to begin the diagnosis. When

radiography is necessary, state-of-the-art techniques and equipment is

recommended for accurate diagnosis. An imaging team may use one or more

modalities to make a diagnosis including ultrasonic imaging, CAT scan, MRCP

(magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatogragphy) or ERCP (endoscopic retrograde

cholangiopancreatography).

What is the treatment for acute pancreatitis?

Treatment for acute pancreatitis depends on the severity of the condition.

Sometimes the patient needs hospitalization with administration of intravenous

fluids to help restore blood volume. Antibiotics are often prescribed if

infection occurs and pain medications are often used to provide relief. Surgery

is sometimes needed when complications such as infection, cysts or bleeding

occur).

What can be expected after treatment?

Patients usually recover fully from acute pancreatitis and do not experience

recurrence if the cause is removed. Alcohol consumption should be eliminated

even if it is not the determined cause of the disease. Smoking, which stresses

the body's defenses against inflammation, should be stopped. A trial and error

approach to specific foods is usually indicated. Patients often find high-fat

foods difficult to digest.

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