Pancreatic Disorders & Therapy
Open Access

Diagnostic Techniques and Therapy of Pancreatitis

David Sebastian^{* *}Correspondence: David Sebastian, Departments of Surgery, University of California, Irvine, USA, Email:

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Description

Pancreatitis is a condition characterised by pancreatic inflammation. The pancreas is a large organ located behind the stomach that manufactures digestive enzymes as well as a variety of hormones. Acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis are the two main types. Upper abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting are pancreatitis symptoms. The pain is usually severe and travels into the back. A fever may occur in acute pancreatitis, and symptoms usually resolve within a few days. Weight loss, fatty stool, and diarrhea are all possible symptoms of chronic pancreatitis. Infection, bleeding, diabetes mellitus, and problems with other organs are all possible complications.

Treatment

Pancreatitis treatment is supportive and varies according to severity. Morphine is generally effective for pain relief. There is no evidence that morphine can aggravate or cause pancreatitis or cholecystitis. The treatment for acute pancreatitis will vary depending on whether the condition is mild, which causes no complications, or severe, which can cause serious complications.

Acute mild pancreatitis

Acceptance to a general hospital ward is effective for the treatment of mild acute pancreatitis. People were traditionally not allowed to eat until the inflammation subsided, but new evidence suggests that early feeding is safe, improves outcomes, and may allow patients to leave the hospital sooner. Proinflammatory cytokines secreted into the bloodstream as a result of pancreatitis can cause inflammation throughout the body, including the lungs, and can manifest as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Because pancreatitis can cause lung injury and impair normal lung function, supplemental oxygen is sometimes administered through breathing tubes connected through the nose (e.g., nasal cannulae) or through a mask. Once it is clear that the condition is improving, the tubes can be removed after a few days. Fluids will be administered intravenously to prevent dehydration during an episode of acute pancreatitis. Opioids may be used to alleviate pain. When pancreatitis is caused by gallstones, early gallbladder removal appears to improve outcomes as well.

Acute severe pancreatitis

Organ failure, necrosis, infected necrosis, pseudocyst, and abscess can all result from severe pancreatitis. People who have severe acute pancreatitis will need to be admitted to a highdependency unit or an intensive care unit. The body's fluid levels are likely to have dropped significantly as it diverts bodily fluids and nutrients in an attempt to repair the pancreas. A decrease in fluid levels can result in a decrease in blood volume within the body, which is known as hypovolemic shock. Hypovolemic shock can be fatal because it deprives the body of the oxygen-rich blood it requires to survive. Fluids will be administered intravenously to avoid hypovolemic shock. To help with breathing, oxygen will be delivered through tubes attached to the nose, and ventilation equipment may be used. Feeding tubes, in conjunction with appropriate analgesia, may be used to provide nutrients.

As with mild acute pancreatitis, the underlying cause must be treated-gallstones, medication discontinuation, abstinence from alcohol, and so on. If gallstones are the cause, an Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedure or gallbladder removal will most likely be recommended. To reduce the risk of recurrent pancreatitis, the gallbladder should be removed during the same hospitalisation or within two weeks of pancreatitis onset. If alcohol is the cause of the pancreatitis, stop drinking and seeking treatment for alcoholism may help. Even if the underlying cause is unrelated to alcohol consumption, doctors recommend abstaining from it for at least six months because it can cause additional damage to the pancreas during the recovery process. Initially, oral intake, particularly fat intake, is generally restricted, but early enteral feeding within 48 hours has been shown to improve clinical outcomes. Intravenously, fluids and electrolytes are replaced. If there is no improvement after 72-96 hours of treatment, nutritional support is initiated via tube feeding to bypass the portion of the digestive tract most affected by secreted pancreatic enzymes.

Conclusion

There are some non-surgical treatments for pancreatitis which depend on the cause of the disease, and the severity of the pain. People with a family history of diabetes are more likely to develop the disease. Acute pancreatitis can become chronic, if pancreatic tissue is permanently destroyed and scarring develops.

Treatment for acute pancreatitis will vary depending on whether the condition is mild, which causes no complications, or severe, which can cause serious complications. An Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedure or gallbladder removal is most likely to treat pancreatitis. Most people with pancreatitis will not require surgery, but if they do, it is used to relieve symptoms and complications.