Medical Centric

PANCREATITIS

Men's Health, Women's Health / By

PANCREATITIS

Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas.

  • The pancreas is a large gland that sits tucked behind the stomach and next to the small intestine. it produces enzymes and hormones.
  • There exist two main types of pancreatitis, acute (short-term) and chronic ( long-term)
  • Acute pancreatitis forms suddenly and resolves with appropriate medical care.
  • Acute pancreatitis progress into chronic pancreatitis after several episodes and can last for months and even years.
  • In 2015, about 8.9 million cases of pancreatitis were recorded globally with about 132,700 deaths.
  • The condition is more common in men than women and usually begins between the ages of 30-40. It is rare in children
  • Pancreatitis can cause serious complications like diabetes, kidney failure, breathing problems and pancreatic cancer.

CAUSES

  • The pancreas secretes powerful digestive enzymes into the small intestine through the pancreatic duct. This digestive enzymes aids digestion.
  • The pancreas also secretes a number of hormones into the bloodstream. These hormones help to control the way the body processes sugar.
  • Inflammation occurs when digestive juices or enzymes get trapped and become activated while in the pancreas causing irritation to the cells in the pancreas.

Certain conditions can lead to pancreatitis. The most common is gallstones and alcoholism.

  • Gallstones are small, pebble-like composition that forms in the gallbladder. The gallstones can get stuck in the process of moving out of the bile ducts into the small intestines. This blockage will stop the pancreas from secreting its enzymes in the intestines.
  • Alcoholism- Heavy consumption of alcohol for many years may lead to pancreatitis.

Other causative factors may include:

  • Abdominal surgery
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Infection
  • Injury to the abdomen or pancreas such as one from a car accident or bad fall
  • Some certain medications
  • High levels of calcium in the blood
  • High triglyceride levels in the blood

SYMPTOMS

Signs and symptoms may vary depending on the type you experience.

For acute pancreatitis, sign and symptoms may include:

  • Fever
  • Upper abdominal pain
  • Nausea
  • increased heartbeat
  • Swollen and tender abdomen
  • Abdominal pain that gets worse after eating
  • Abdominal pain that radiates to the back or feels worse when a person lies on his/her back.

Chronic pancreatitis symptoms may include:

  • Oily smelly stool
  • Weight loss
  • Upper abdominal pain

DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

DIAGNOSIS

Diagnosis may include laboratory test and imaging procedures that check the functioning of numerous body systems. They are:

  • Blood test to detect high levels of pancreatic enzymes
  • Stool tests

Imaging procedures include

  • The abdominal ultrasound that checks for gallstones and pancreas inflammation
  • MRI to detect abnormalities in the gallbladder and pancreas.
  • Endoscopy to look for blockages and inflammation in the ducts (pancreatic or bile duct)
  • CT scan to detect gallstones and evaluate the extent of pancreas inflammation
  • Biopsy where a small needle is inserted into the pancreas and a small tissue sample is removed for study
TREATMENT

Treatment will depend on the nature of your condition, whether it is acute or chronic.

Initial treatment in the hospital aims at getting your pancreatitis under control and treatment may include:

  • Pain medication to help control pain
  • Bowel rest or fasting, this is done to give the pancreas some rest while it recovers. Once the inflammation in the pancreas is controlled, eating bland foods and taking clear fluid may be required. If the condition persists, a feeding tube may be recommended to aid feeding,
  • Intravenous fluids, pancreatitis is always accompanied by dehydration which can worsen the symptoms and complications. Extra fluids will be provided intravenously through a vein in your arm.

The underlying cause of your condition can now be treated once your pancreatitis is under control.  Treatment may include:

  • A blocked pancreatic duct may be opened during a procedure known as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography ( ERCP)
  • In those with gallstones, your doctor may suggest surgery to remove your gallbladder.
  • In pancreatitis caused by years of alcoholism, your doctor may recommend you enter an alcohol addiction treatment program. If you continue alcohol consumption, your condition will worsen and lead to some serious complications.
  • Pancreatitis caused by high triglycerides may be treated with medication that can help to decrease the patient’s triglycerides levels.
  • The patient may need to be injected with insulin if the pancreas is not producing sufficient insulin.
  • If certain complications such as severe injury to the pancreas and bleeding develops, pancreas surgery may be essential to drain, repair or remove the affected tissue.
  • A good diet plan of low-fat meals that are high in nutrients may be important