Pancreatitis Flashcards
What is Acute Pancreatitis?
Inflamm. of pancreas –> extra-ductal release of pancreatic enzymes
What are the causes of Acute Pancreatitis?
Gall stones (35%)
Ethanol (35%)
Trauma
Steroids
Mumps (+ other viruses)
Autoimmune
Scorpion venom
Hypertriglyceridaemia / Hyperchylomicronaemia / Hypercalcaemia / Hypothermia
ERCP
Drugs (azathioprine / bendroflumethiazide / furosemide, pentamidine / steroids / sodium valproate)
GET SMASHED
What is the pathophysiology of Acute Pancreatitis? (6 steps)
- Causes will trigger premature + exagg activation of digestive enzymes in pancreas
- Pancreatic inflamm response
- Increase in vasc perm –> fluid shift
- Enzymes released from pancreas –> systemic circulation
- Autodigestion of fats (fat necrosis) + blood vessels (haemorrage in retroperitoneal space)
- Fat necrosis –> free F.A release –> reacts with serum Ca –> Chalky deposits in fatty tissue –> Hypocalcaemia
What are the clinical features of Acute Pancreatitis from the history? (3 main things / 8 total)
- Epigastric pain (radiates to back)
- Nausea + vomiting
- Jaundice
Other
- Beh alcohol
- Weight loss (pancreatic / biliary tumour = cause)
- Steroids use
- ERCP
- MUMPS
What are the clinical features of Acute Pancreatitis on examination? (6 things)
- Epigastric tenderness (+/- guarding)
- Haemodynamically unstable (severe cases bc inflamm response)
- Distension (ascites)
- Loss of bowel sounds (acute ileus)
- Cullen’s Sign = bruising @ umbilicus
- Grey Turner’s Sign = bruising @ flanks
5+6 = retroperitoneal haemorrhage
What are some other clinical features of Acute Pancreatitis?
- Tachycardia
- Hypotension
- Fever
What are the other differentials of abdominal pain that RADIATES TO BACK other than Acute Pancreatitis? (5 things)
- Abdominal aortic aneurysm
- Aortic dissection
- Chronic pancreatitis
- PUD
- Renal calculi
What are some abdominal conditions that present similarly to Acute Pancreatitis? (7 things)
- Perforated duodenal ulcer
- Acute Hepatitis
- Biliary tract pathology
- Bowel obstruction / ischaemia
- Obstructed / strangulated hernia
- Renal tract disease
- Gynae pathologies
What are some NON abdominal conditions that present similarly to Acute Pancreatitis? (3 things)
- Inferior MI
- Basal pneumonia
- Pericarditis
What are the SIMILARITIES between Acute Pancreatitis and Perforated duodenal ulcer? (3 things)
- Shock
- Epigastric pain
- Amylase rise
How do you DIFFERENTIATE between Acute Pancreatitis and Perforated duodenal ulcer? (2 things)
- Examination findings
- PDU = less amylase rise
What are the SIMILARITIES between Acute Pancreatitis and Acute hepatitis? (4 things)
- Shock
- Upper abdominal pain
- Jaundice
- Raised transaminase (ALT / AST) levels
What are the SIMILARITIES between Acute Pancreatitis and Biliary tract pathology? (3 things)
- Shock
- Upper abdominal pain
- Amylase rise (if obstructed)
How do you DIFFERENTIATE between Acute Pancreatitis and Biliary tract pathology?
Abdominal US for evidence of ductal obstruction
What are the SIMILARITIES between Acute Pancreatitis and Bowel obstruction / ischaemia?
Amylase rise (bc inflamm in mesenteric system –> inflamm mediators release –> pancreatic irritation –> amylase rise)
How do you DIFFERENTIATE between Acute Pancreatitis and Bowel obstruction / ischaemia? (2 things)
- Examination findings
- Bowel obstruction / ischaemia = less amylase rise
What are the SIMILARITIES between Acute Pancreatitis and Obstructed / strangulated hernia?
Amylase rise
How do you DIFFERENTIATE between Acute Pancreatitis and Obstructed / strangulated hernia? (2 things)
- Examination findings
- Obstructed / strangulated hernia = less amylase rise
What are the SIMILARITIES between Acute Pancreatitis and Renal tract disease?
Amylase rise
How do you DIFFERENTIATE between Acute Pancreatitis and Renal tract disease?
- Examination findings
- Renal tract disease = less amylase rise
What are the SIMILARITIES between Acute Pancreatitis and Gynae pathologies? (2 things)
- Abdominal pain
- Amylase rise
How do you DIFFERENTIATE between Acute Pancreatitis and Gynae pathologies? (2 things)
- Urine / serum hCG test (if ectopic preg suspected)
- Less amylase rise
How do you DIFFERENTIATE between Acute Pancreatitis and Inferior MI? (2 things)
- Inferior MI = ECG changes
- Inferior MI = Serum troponin rise
What are the SIMILARITIES between Acute Pancreatitis and Basal pneumonia?
Amylase rise
How do you DIFFERENTIATE between Acute Pancreatitis and Basal pneumonia? (2 things)
- Basal pneumonia = focal changes in CXR
- Basal pneumonia = less amylase rise