Acute Pancreatitis

SUGGEST READING

WHEN TO SUSPECT?


HOW TO DIAGNOSIS?
The definition of acute pancreatitis is based on the fulfillment of ‘2 out of 3’ of the following criteria:
  1. clinical (upper abdominal pain), 
  2. laboratory (serum amylase or lipase >3x upper limit of normal) and/or 
  3. imaging (CT, MRI, ultrasonography) criteria

WHAT TO DO NEXT?
  • to determine the etiology of acute pancreatitis
  • prediction of severity: Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), Ranson's Criteria
HOW TO MANAGE?
  1. Fluid therapy
  2. Intensive care management
  3. Preventing infectious complications
  4. Nutritional support
  5. Biliary tract management
  6. Timing of cholecystectomy (or endoscopic sphincterotomy)
LANDMARK STUDIES


FURTHER READING