This paper will examine pancreatitis, a condition in which the pancreas, an organ near the stomach, becomes inflamed. It will look at the functions of the pancreas under normal conditions and in the inflamed state, at the symptoms and treatment of pancreatitis, and at what further knowledge is needed to aid in preventing and treating the problem.
The pancreas produces digestive enzymes needed to break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. These enzymes flow directly into the duodenum, which is the first part of the small intestine. In addition, the organ has specialized endocrine cells which produce insulin and glucagon which control blood sugar levels (3:8, 4:2035). The pancreas also secretes large quantities of sodium bicarbonate into the duodenum which neutralizes acid coming from the stomach (2:504).
Acute pancreatitis is an acute inflammatory process of the pancreas that occurs as one sudden episode and may be fatal in five to 10 percent of cases in its most severe form (3, 4, 7). With complications, the mortality rate may rise to 35 percent. Complications can include kidney failure, shock, and respiratory failure (7:44). Local complications include pancreatic necrosis with or without infection, and the development of pseudocysts which contain a collection of pancreatic secretions (7:48). Fistulas caused by disruption of the pancreatic duct can also occur. Internal fistulas may communicate with the colon, small bowel, or biliary system or they may track to the skim as external fistulas. Surgery is required to treat persistent pancreatic fistulas. It can involve peripancreatic tissues or remote organ systems, or both. The early stages of pancreatitis are characterized by interstitial edema within the pancreatic parenchyma and necrosis of peripancreatic fat (7:44). The disease may progress to coagulation necrosis of glandular elements and surrounding fatty tissue, a condition known as necrotizing pancreatit...