Acute or prolonged inflammation of the pancreas is called pancreatitis in medicine. The inflammatory process can exist as an independent disease of the organ, as well as be a reactive process that occurs as a result of chronic diseases of other organs of the digestive system. Inflammation of the pancreas proceeds undulating, exacerbation usually occurs with errors in nutrition or other factors. Further, after proper treatment, a remission of the disease occurs. During this period, the patient makes no complaints.
Causes of pancreatitis and its pathogenesis
Pancreatitis develops or worsens mainly with malnutrition. This is, first of all, a long alcoholic libation, spicy or fatty foods. Also, inflammation develops with cholecystitis, gastric ulcer or hepatitis. The pancreas is involved reactively, as it has a common duct with the gallbladder. Harmful factors in the workplace (metal salts, intoxication with chemicals) can also be the cause of pancreatic diseases. Symptoms with different forms of pancreatitis have much in common, dyspepsia, intoxication and pain appear.
As a result of the influence of the causative factor, edema of the organ occurs, because of this its blood supply is disturbed. Due to compression of the edematous parenchyma of the organ of the pancreatic ducts, pancreatic juice stagnates and the iron digests itself. In the best case, this leads to sclerosis of the organ.
Pancreatic inflammation can spread only to a small part of the organ (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, dyspeptic symptoms and abdominal pain appear. The pain is constant, acute, localized in the area of the projection of the organ, can be given to the back, to be girdle, disguised as heart pain. A constant symptom is diarrhea, poor, incomplete digestion of food. If the inflammation is chronic, the patient is deficient in vitamins, body weight is often reduced. Since there is a common duct between the organs, with exacerbation of cholecystitis, the pancreas is often reactively involved in the process. Symptoms of the disease are similar, but complaints are also added that are characteristic of gallbladder inflammation.
Diagnosis of the disease
The diagnosis is based on complaints made to patients, on the presence of characteristic clinical manifestations. In the blood, you can see a picture of inflammation, with an increase in ESR, white blood cells. Due to the fact that the outflow of secretion is impaired, pancreatic amylase, phosphatase, and glucose increase. The protein content can be reduced, and the percentage of protein fractions is also violated .
When performing ultrasonic sanitation, an enlarged and edematous pancreas is visible. Its contours are uneven, echogenicity is reduced. Sometimes cysts or cicatricial changes are found. A more accurate picture of the disease can be obtained by computed tomography.
Inflammation of the pancreas can be complicated by diabetes mellitus, total or limited necrosis, the formation of an abscess, stricture of the excretory ducts.
Therapeutic measures
The patient must be aware that without proper nutrition can not achieve a positive result. Of the medicines used antispasmodics, enzymes of the gland, analgesics. In more severe cases, drugs are added that suppress the activity of their own enzymes. According to indications, antibiotic therapy is possible. An important factor in achieving a good outcome is the rehabilitation of concomitant diseases and sources of chronic infection.