What is the inflammation of the pancreas?

Acute arisen or long-lasting inflammation of the pancreas, in medicine called pancreatitis. The inflammatory process can exist as an independent organ disease, and also be a reactive process that occurs as a result of chronic diseases of other organs of the digestive system. Inflammation of the pancreas proceeds wavy, exacerbation usually occurs with errors in nutrition or other factors. Further, after proper treatment, remission of the disease occurs. During this period the patient does not make any complaints.

Causes of pancreatitis and its pathogenesis

Pancreatitis develops or worsens mainly in eating disorders. This is, first of all, a long alcoholic libation, acute or fatty food. Also, inflammation develops with cholecystitis, stomach ulcer or hepatitis. The pancreas is involved reactively, since it has a common duct with the gall bladder. Harmful factors in production (metal salts, intoxication by chemicals) can also be the cause, as a result of which pancreatic diseases arise. Symptoms with different forms of pancreatitis have much in common, there is dyspepsia, intoxication and pain.

As a result of the influence of the causative factor, there is edema of the organ, because of this, its blood supply is disturbed. Due to compression of the edematous parenchyma of the organ of the pancreatic ducts, the pancreatic juice stagnates and the iron digests itself. At best, this leads to sclerosing the organ.

Inflammation of the pancreas can spread only to a small part of the body (local inflammation), and if the process captures the entire organ, it is called diffuse.

Pancreatitis can be calculous, parenchymal, interstitial and sclerosing.

Manifestations of the disease

At the beginning of the disease, dyspepsia and abdominal pain appear. The pain is constant acute, localized in the area of the projection of the organ, can be given in the back, be girdled, masked for heartache. A constant symptom is diarrhea, poor, incomplete digestion of food. If the inflammation is chronic, the patient experiences a deficiency of vitamins, body weight is often reduced. Since there is a common duct between organs, with exacerbation of cholecystitis, often the pancreas is reactively involved in the process. Symptoms of the disease are similar, but they also add complaints that are characteristic of inflammation of the gallbladder.

Diagnosis of the disease

The diagnosis is based on complaints made by the patient, on the presence of characteristic clinical manifestations. In the blood, you can see a picture of inflammation, with an increase in ESR, leukocytes. Because the outflow of secretion is impaired, pancreatic amylase, phosphatase, glucose is increased. The protein content can be reduced, as well as the percentage of protein fractions.

When performing ultrasound sanitation, the enlarged and edematous pancreas is visible. Its contours are uneven, ehogennost reduced. Sometimes cysts or cicatricial changes are found. A more accurate picture of the disease can be obtained when performing a CT scan.

Inflammation of the pancreas can be complicated by diabetes, total or limited necrosis, the formation of an abscess, the stricture of the outflow ducts.

Healing measures

The patient should realize that without proper nutrition, it is not possible to achieve a positive result. Of drugs used antispasmodics, enzymes of the gland, analgesics. In more severe cases, drugs that suppress the activity of their own enzymes are administered. According to the indications, antibacterial therapy is possible. An important factor in achieving a good outcome is the sanation of concomitant diseases and sources of chronic infection.