Acute pancreatitis Flashcards
What acronym is used for the causes of acute pancreatitis?
GET SMASHED
What are the causes of acute pancreatitis?
Gallstones Ethanol Trauma Steroids Mumps Autoimmune Scorpion venom Hyperlipidaemia, hypothermia, hypercalcaemia ERCP and emboli Drugs -Pregnancy, neoplasia or no cause found
What are the gastro symptoms and signs of acute pancreatitis?
- Gradual or sudden severe mid epigastric or central abdominal pain
- Radiating to back
- Sitting forward may relive
- Vomiting prominent and nausea
- Jaundice
- Rigid abdomen
- Cullen, Grey Turner sign
What are the general symptoms and signs of acute pancreatitis?
- Increase HR
- Fever
- Shock
- Signs of hypovoleamia
- Signs of pleural effusion
- Anoerexia
What are differential diagnosis for acute pancreatitis?
- Peptic ulcer disease
- Perforated viscus
- Oesophageal spasm
- Intestinal obstruction
- Abdominal aorta aneurysm
- Cholangitis
- Choledocholithiasis
- Cholecystitis
- Viral gastroenteritis
- Hepatitis
- Mesenteric ischaemia
- Myocardial infarction
What blood tests do you do for acute pancreatitis?
- Serum lipase and amylase
- FBC
- CRP
- Urea/creatine
- LFTs
- Serum calcium
What would serum lipase and amalyse be like in acute pancreatitis?
confirms if >3 times the upper limit of the normal range with acute upper abdominal pain
What is the fbc like in acute pancreatitis?
- leukocytosis
2. haematocrit >44% indicates poorer prognosis
What is CRP like in acute pancreatitis?
> 200 units/L pancreatic necrosis
What is urea and creatinine like in acute pancreatitis?
elevated
What are LFTs like in acute pancreatitis?
if >3 times the upper limit of normal, predicts gallstone disease as aetiology
What is serum calcium like in acute pancreatitis?
hypercalcaemia
What would pulse oximetry be like in acute pancreatitis?
hypoxaemia
What imaging is done for acute pancreatitis?
- CXR
- Transabdominal US
- AXR
- CT Scan
- ERCP
What would CXR show in acute pancreatitis?
- atelectasis
- pleural effusion
What could US show in acute pancreatitis?
- confirms or excludes gallstones
- pancreatic inflammation
- peri-pancreatic stranding
- calcifications
- fluid collections
What would an AXR show in acute pancreatitis?
no psoas shadow
What would a CT scan show in acute pancreatitis?
assess severity and complications
What are the important factors to consider in management of acute pancreatitis?
- Assess haemodynamic stability
- Beware of SIRS
- Arrange ERCP within 24hr
- Nil by mouth
- Repeat imaging to asses severity