What is acute pancreatitis?
At a pancreas inflammation does the pancreas less good or at all anymore. Acute pancreas inflammation means that the inflammation suddenly begins. There are several causes are possible, such as gallstones and excessive alcohol consumption.
Acute pancreatitis gives severe pain in the upper abdomen. This pain often radiates to the back.
In case of acute pancreatitis, you should probably go to the hospital. As the doctor tries to bring the inflammation calm. You may not eat or drink. You will receive nutrition and fluids through an IV. If a gallstone is the cause of the inflammation, the surgeon then pulls the pebble road. Sometimes, the surgeon needs to remove a portion of the inflamed tissue.
Of the acute pancreatic inflammation takes place 70 to 90% mild. About 10 to 30% of people is sometimes seriously ill. They are long in the intensive care unit of a hospital. The risk of death in this severe form is 30 to 70%.
Another term for inflammation of the pancreas is pancreatitis.
Acute pancreatitis symptoms
In case of acute pancreatitis, you have pain in the middle of the abdomen below the sternum. This pain may radiate to the chest, sides of your body and the back. The pain often begins 12 to 24 hours after a large meal or after a lot of booze. The pain may last for hours or days.
Other symptoms may include:
- mild fever;
- lots of stools;
- nausea and / or vomiting;
- clammy skin;
- puffy, tender abdomen.
The pain often decreases when sitting upright and leaning forward. On your back, cough, breathe deeply and powerfully make the pain worse.
Acute pancreatitis can be caused by gallstones. A typical symptom is pain that comes suddenly and rapidly becomes worse.
The symptoms of inflammation from excessive alcohol consumption are different. Some people have a little pain and hardly any complaints. Other people are very sick and sweating a lot. They also breathe rapidly and have a high pulse rate (between 100 and 140 per minute).
Complications of pancreatitis
In severe pancreatitis may arise complications.
The most important are:
- Irritation and inflammation of the peritoneum (peritonitis). This is caused by enzymes and toxic substances which run into the abdominal cavity from the pancreas. Also other (often serious) infections can occur in this way.
- Pseudo cyst. Accumulate in the pancreas enzymes, tissue debris and moisture. As a result, the pancreas appears to be a balloon or a cyst. Doctors call this a pseudo cyst. The pseudocyst may press the bile duct or stomach or become inflamed. A pseudo cyst frequently resolves itself again. Is this not so? Then, an operation is possible. During surgery, the surgeon connects the pseudo-cyst with the stomach or intestine. Then runs the contents of the pseudo-cyst therein. Sometimes, the surgeon places a discharge tube (drain) in the pseudo-cyst. As a result, the contents of the pseudocyst can flow away from the body.
What causes acute pancreatitis?
The most important causes of acute pancreatitis are gallstones and alcohol.
Other causes of acute pancreatitis are:
- Use of certain medications, such as azathioprine (Imuran) and furosemide (a strong-acting water pill).
- A metabolic disease.
- Use of the pill in combination with high cholesterol.
- Damage to the pancreas by surgery or endoscopy.
- Pancreatic cancer.
- Reduced blood flow to the pancreas, for example by an extremely low blood pressure.
How the doctor finds that you have acute pancreatitis?
In severe pain in the upper abdomen and back thought the doctor to pancreatitis.
The doctor examines you. They will check whether you besides the pain too slight fever, have a fast heart rate and low blood pressure.
Then let the doctor examine your blood. In the first few days after the onset of the inflammation is, the content of certain enzymes in the blood is much higher than normal.
Sometimes it is necessary to make a CT scan, an ultrasound scan or MRI scan. With these tests, the doctor can be a blockage of the bile duct by gallstones visible. Also, it can see if the pancreas is increased by inflammation.
Treatment for acute pancreatitis
In the treatment of acute pancreatitis is to be addressed the cause of the disease. So that means for example:
- removal of gallstones;
- stop drinking alcohol;
- treatment of a metabolic disorder;
- other medications.
If the cause is not known? The doctor must wait and see how the infection develops. During the first few days you may not eat. Through an infusion you get a lot of moisture. Because your nose is a small tube into your stomach. This tube sucks off the gastric juice.
If you do not revamp within a few days, you will receive tube feeding.
Most people with acute pancreatitis heal within two weeks.
In severe complications is shot on an intensive care needed. Here the doctor constantly monitors the blood pressure, pulse, respiration and urine output.
Occasionally, an operation is necessary to remove dead tissue from the pancreas.
Pseudocysts can suck the doctor with a syringe. The pseudo cyst is larger than five centimeters and there is more than six weeks. Sometimes, surgery is needed to remove the pseudo-cyst.
Sometimes acute pancreatitis does not heal. Then, it becomes a chronic inflammation of the pancreas.
After an acute pancreatitis
After an acute pancreatitis, the pancreas can be damaged. Many pancreatic cells do not work properly. This gives you a lack of enzymes. You will need to take medication to supplement this deficiency.
The pancreas is severely damaged, she makes less insulin. You then have diabetes mellitus. You get insulin to keep your blood sugar levels.