acute pancreatitis

acute pancreatitis

Etymology: Gk, pan, all, kreas, flesh, itis, inflammation

a sudden inflammation of the pancreas caused by autodigestion and marked by symptoms of acute abdomen and escape of pancreatic enzymes into the pancreatic tissues. The condition is associated with biliary disease or alcoholism. The autodigestion is caused by premature activation of the digestive enzymes. Acute pancreatitis can also be of unknown cause. See also pancreatitis.

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acute pancreatitis

Inflammation of the pancreas of abrupt onset, often with gallstones and alcohol ingestion Epidemiology 109,000 hospitalizations, 2251 deaths–US; 10-fold ↑ from 1960s to 1980s–reason unclear;
? alcohol abuse; ? widened diagnostic criteria; ± 250 admissions/10⁶ population/yr, higher in certain populations–eg, 4-22% in AIDS Pts Etiology Obstruction, toxins or drugs, trauma, metabolic defects, infection, vascular defects, idiopathic Diagnosis Abdominal pain, ↑ amylase, ↑ lipase, ultrasonography, contrast-enhanced CT Management Supportive, bowel rest with parenteral nutrition Prognosis Ranson's criteria, modified Glasgow criteria, APACHE II Prognosis 25% have complications, 9% die of pancreatitis, sepsis, pulmonary failure, etc. See Chronic pancreatitis.