Chronic Pancreatitis

Question 1

What other causes of chronic pancreatitis are there?

Answer 1

Gallstones, cystic fibrosis, alpha 1 anti trypsin deficiency

Question 2

What does chronic pancreatitis increase the odds of?

Answer 2

Getting pancreatic cancer

Question 3

What are the clinical features of chronic pancreatitis?

Answer 3

Epigastric pain/central abdominal pain with pain radiating to the back, jaundice, pain relieved by sitting forward, pancreatic insufficiency (diabetes, malabsorption, weight loss, steattorhoea

Question 4

Is pancreatic insufficiency an early or a late sign?

Answer 4

Late (90% of pancreatic function is lost)

Question 5

What is the co deer strive management?

Answer 5

Pain management, enzyme supplementation, diabetes medication, alcohol abstinence, smoking cessation

Question 6

Though uncommon what can be done as a treatment for chronic pancreatitis?

Answer 6

Pancreatojejunostomy

Question 7

What law is useful when trying to rule out pancreatic cancer?

Answer 7

Courvoisier’s law which states that if there is jaundice but the gall bladder is palpable then it is unlikely to be gallstones as this would cause gallbladder fibrosis and shrinkage meaning it would be non palpable

Question 8

Chronic pancreatitis usually develops after multiple acute episodes of pancreatitis, what is this due to 70% of the time?

Answer 8

Alcoholism