What is pancreatitis? How Is It Treated?
The organ within the abdomen, behind the stomach, which plays a crucial role within the digestion of food by regulating blood glucose with substances called enzymes and insulin, specifically, is named the pancreas. The pancreas secretes an upscale juice containing digestive enzymes like lipase, amylase and protease. This juice, which is additionally rich in bicarbonate, passes into the duodenum with the bile coming from the liver, where it plays a task in digesting substances like protein, sugar and fat and making them ready for absorption. Damage and uncontrolled activation of enzymes within the pancreas can cause an inflammatory condition within the pancreas. During this case, a condition called pancreatitis occurs. Pancreatitis, pancreas. It's not inflammation, but inflammation. In some advanced cases, inflammation is often added thereto.
What is Pancreatitis?
Pancreatitis, which we can call inflammation of the pancreas, is a serious disease. Because when the pancreas becomes inflamed, the powerful digestive enzymes it produces damage its own tissue; can cause the removal of inflammatory cells and toxins that can damage the lungs, kidneys, and heart.
There are two types of pancreatitis:
- Acute pancreatitis (sudden and short-term inflammation)
- Chronic pancreatitis (ongoing inflammation)
The pancreas is located in the upper abdomen and is connected to the beginning of the small intestine (duodenum). Thus, the pancreas is an important organ that undertakes the task of injecting digestive enzymes from the junction with the duct to the small intestine.
The pancreas has two main functions:
- It produces these enzymes that make digestive enzymes and release them into the small intestine. Thus, it breaks down carbohydrates, proteins and fats in food.
- It produces various hormones, such as insulin, that regulate the amount of sugar (glucose) in the blood.
Pancreatitis Complications
- Cardiovascular system complications: tachycardia, shock, hypotension
- Respiratory system (pulmonary) complications: pulmonary edema, fluid accumulation between the lung membranes (pleural effusion)
- Kidney (renal) complications: acute kidney failure, oliguria (decreased urine)
- Metabolic complications: increased glucose, decreased blood calcium, acidosis
- Hematological complications: occlusion of the vessels (vascular thrombosis), intravascular coagulation
- Infectious complications: bacteremia, sepsis
Possible local complications are:
- Pancreatic complications: necrosis, peripancreatic fluid accumulation (fluid collection round the pancreas), pseudocyst, pancreatic acid (fluid collection within the abdomen), fistula formation
- Non-pancreatic local complications: Possible occlusion of the venous blood vessel (splenic vein thrombosis), rupture or bubble formation within the arteria lienalis (rupture and arterial blood vessel aneurysm), delayed gastric emptying (gastroparesis, stenosis within the gastric outlet), biliary tract obstruction, paralytic or mechanical intestinal paralysis obstruction (ileus).
Procedures utilized in the Treatment of Pancreatitis
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Endoscopic Procedure
Complications such as a pancreatic pseudocyst (type of inflammatory cyst) or infected pancreatic tissue are managed with an endoscopic procedure. In this method, a tube is released next to the pancreas from the throat to the intestine. Gallstones and pancreatic stones are removed by an endoscopic procedure.
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Laparoscopy
Where surgery is recommended, surgeons usually prefer laparoscopy. This surgical technique is complemented by smaller incisions that take less time to heal. During laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon inserts a laparoscope (a small camera and a lighted instrument) into keyhole-sized cuts in the abdomen. Thanks to the laparoscope, the images obtained during the procedure will be viewed on the monitor.
