Acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis
Other names	Acute pancreatic necrosis[1]
Still from 3D medical animation of acute pancreatitis
Specialty	Gastroenterology, general surgery

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a sudden inflammation of the pancreas. Causes, in order of frequency, include: a gallstone impacted in the common bile duct beyond the point where the pancreatic duct joins it; heavy alcohol use; systemic disease; trauma; and, in children, mumps. Acute pancreatitis may be a single event; it may be recurrent; or it may progress to chronic pancreatitis and/or pancreatic failure (the term pancreatic dysfunction includes cases of acute or chronic pancreatitis where the pancreas is measurably damaged, even if it has not failed).

Mild cases are usually successfully treated with conservative measures: hospitalization, pain control, nothing by mouth, intravenous (IV) nutritional support, and intravenous fluid rehydration. Severe cases often require admission to an intensive care unit to monitor and manage complications of the disease. Complications are associated with a high mortality, even with optimal management. For people with this condition, the pancreas will begin to secrete active enzymes such as trypsin, chymotrypsin and carboxypeptidase, instead of their inactive forms. Damage to the pancreatic ducts can occur as a result of this. Damage to the liver, gallbladder, and spleen can result in severe cases of pancreatitis.