McGowan - Approach to Pancreatic Pt Flashcards
What should be the main differential considerations for RUQ and epigastric abdominal pain?
- gallbladder disease
- hepatitis
- pancreatitis (acute and chronic)
- peptic ulcer disease
What causes acute pancreatitis?
Cellular injury from:
- activation of protein kinases
- inflammatory mediators
- activation of digestive enzymes in pancreas (specifically trypsinogen activating to trypsin, result in autodigestion of pancreas and peri-pancreatic tissue)
What can happen to the pancreas in acute pancreatitis?
Saponification - interaction of cations w/FFAs released by activated lipase on trigylcerides in fat cells – can lead to hypocalcemia
What are causes of acute pancreatitis?
- GALLSTONES IN BILIARY TRACT (gallstones greater or equal to 5mm)
- HEAVY ALCOHOL USE
Others:
- hypertrigylceridemia
- trauma
- medications
- ERCP
- Autoimmune
- CTFR gene mutation
- idiopathic
What symptoms might a patient with acute pancreatitis present with?
- epigastric abdominal pain that is constant and bores straight through to the back
- RUQ pain/dyspepsia
- N/V, abdominal distension
What might a physical on a patient with acute pancreatitis show?
- distress
- Cullen or Grey Turner sign (bleeding around pancreas from damaged vessels)
- ARDS
- Chvostek and Trosseau signs for hypocalcemia!
What are the essential diagnostic criteria for acute pancreatitis? (labs-wise) How many do you need to have?
Need at least 2 of the 3:
- Epigastric pain
- lipase (and amylase) 2x the UNL
- CT changes consistent with pancreatitis
What would radiography show for acute pancreatitis?
- possibly calcified gallstones on x-ray
- ‘sentinel loop’ - segment of air-filled small intestine (mostly in LUQ)
- ‘Colon cutoff sign’ - gas filled segment of transverse colon ending at the area of pancreatic inflammation
What radiography is most helpful for diagnosing acute pancreatitis?
- plain radiography (x-ray)
- Rapid-bolus IV contrast-enhanced CT – should be avoided when serum Cr > 1.5 mg/dl, is of particular value AFTER 3 DAYS of severe acute pancreatitis
- MRI can be used if can’t do CT
What criteria do you use to score the severity of acute pancreatitis?
- Ranson criteria
- Bedside Index for Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP)
- Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) – not just for pancreatitis
What does the BISAP score look for?
- BUN > 25 mg/dl
- Impaired mental status
- SIRS (systemic inflammatory response syndrome)
- Age > 60
- Pleural effusion
What is the APACHE II criteria used for?
It’s an ICU scoring system that predicts hospital mortality
> 8 = higher mortality
How do you treat acute pancreatitis? (both mild and severe)
for mild:
- usually resolves on its own without complications
- do lots of IV fluid resuscitation
- pancreas rest - NPO, bed rest
- pain control
for severe:
- consult surgery for possible treatment of complications
- put on hemodynamic monitoring in ICU
- give calcium gluconate IV for hypocalcemia w/tetany
- give FFP for coagulopathy, serum albumin for albuminopathy
What are possible complications of acute pancreatitis?
- intravascular volume depletion from fluids leaking into the pancreatic bed (3rd space)
- pre-renal azotemia or acute tubular necrosis
- fluid collections (pleural effusions)
- necrosis - if becomes infection, may need debridement (high mortality)\
- pseudocysts
- ARDS
- pancreatic ascites
- chronic pancreatitis (happens in 10% pts)
What are Ranson’s criteria?
- age over 55
- WBC > 16 x 10^3/mcL (> 16 x 10^9/L)
- blood glucose >200 mg/dL
- serum lactate dehydrogenase > 350 units/L
- aspartate aminotransferase > 250 units/L