Pancreatitis

You’re more likely to develop pancreatitis if you:

• Are male.
• Have other people in your family who’ve had pancreatitis.
• Have gallstones or have family members with gallstones.
• Have obesity, high triglycerides (fat in the blood), or diabetes.
• Are a smoker
• Are a heavy drinker (three or more drinks a day).

Gallstones or heavy alcohol drinking are usually the cause of pancreatitis. Rarely, you can also get pancreatitis from:

• Medications (many can irritate the pancreas).
• High triglyceride levels (fat in the blood).
• Infections.
• Abdominal injury.
• Metabolic disorders such as diabetes.
• Genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis.

Pancreatitis symptoms vary, depending on the type of condition:

Acute pancreatitis symptoms

• If you have acute pancreatitis, you may experience:
• Moderate to severe upper abdominal pain that may spread to your back.
• Pain that comes on suddenly or builds up over a few days.
• Pain that worsens when eating.
• Swollen, tender abdomen.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Fever.
• Faster than usual heart rate.

Chronic pancreatitis symptoms

• Chronic pancreatitis may cause some of the same symptoms as acute pancreatitis. You may also develop:
• Constant, sometimes disabling pain that spreads to your back.
• Unexplained weight loss.
• Foamy diarrhea with visible oil droplets (steatorrhea).
• Diabetes (high blood sugar), if insulin-producing pancreas cells are damaged.

Tests and procedures used to diagnose pancreatitis include:

• Blood tests to look for elevated levels of pancreatic enzymes, along with white blood cells, kidney function, and liver enzymes
• Abdominal ultrasound to look for gallstones and pancreas inflammation
• Computerized tomography (CT) scan to look for gallstones and assess the extent of pancreas inflammation
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look for abnormalities in the gallbladder, pancreas, and ducts
• Endoscopic ultrasound to look for inflammation and blockages in the pancreatic duct or bile duct
• Stool tests in chronic pancreatitis to measure levels of fat that could suggest your digestive system isn’t absorbing nutrients adequately

Most pancreatitis complications like pancreatic pseudocyst (type of inflammatory cyst) or infected pancreas tissue are managed through the endoscopic procedure (inserting a tube down your throat until it reaches your small intestine, which is next to your pancreas). Gallstones and pancreas stones are removed with an endoscopic procedure. If surgery is recommended, surgeons can often perform a laparoscopic procedure. This surgical technique involves smaller cuts that take less time to heal. During laparoscopic surgery, your surgeon inserts a laparoscope (an instrument with a tiny camera and light) into keyhole-sized cuts in your abdomen. The laparoscope sends images of your organs to a monitor to help guide the HPB surgeon during the procedure.

Dr. Manoj Dongare at Dr. D. Y. Patil Hospital and Research Center provides one of the best treatments for various Liver diseases in Pimpri Chinchwad Pune. For more information about our comprehensive treatment options, or to request an appointment with the best HPB and Liver Transplant surgeon in Pune call 09881379573 or Click on Book Appointment for online booking with your near hospital.