Pancreatitis (acute & chronic) - hepatobilliary

Question 1

What is acute pancreatitis?

Answer 1

A disorder of the exocrine pancreas, and is associated with acinar cell injury with local and systemic inflammatory responses.

prognosis is a range of severity

Question 2

What is the pathophysiology of pancreatitis?

in terms of enzymatic activity

Answer 2

Question 3

What does extent and severity of pancreatitis depend on?

Answer 3

• duration
• degree

of enzyme action.

Question 4

What are the microscopic signs of pancreatitis?

Answer 4

• Acute inflammation with leakage of fluid from blood vessels
• Necrosis of fat: lipases attack fat locally which leads to fat necrosis.

Question 5

What is the Clinical presentation of pancreatitis?

Answer 5

• Epigastric pain increasing in severity
• Patient lies still and breathes shallowly
• Radiates through to the back
• Sitting forward may relieve the pain
• Frequent vomiting and retching