| Abstract: |
This chapter on acute pancreatitis is from a comprehensive and authoritative textbook that covers disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, biliary tree, pancreas, and liver, as well as the related topics of nutrition and peritoneal disorders. Topics include incidence and definition; pathology; pathogenesis; pathophysiology; predisposing conditions, including gallstones, biliary sludge and microlithiasis, other causes of mechanical ampullary obstruction, alcohol, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercalcemia, drugs, infections and toxins, trauma, pancreas divisum, vascular disease, pregnancy, post-ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography), postoperative pancreatitis, hereditary pancreatitis, structural abnormalities, and idiopathic (of unknown cause) pancreatitis; clinical presentation; laboratory diagnosis; radiologic diagnosis; differential diagnosis of acute pancreatitis; distinguishing alcoholic from gallstone pancreatitis; predictors of severity of pancreatitis, including scoring systems, obesity, chest radiography, organ failure, and local complications; treatment for mild and severe pancreatitis, gallstone pancreatitis, and experimental agents; complications, including infection, pancreatic pseudocyst, pancreatic abscess, and systemic complications; and prognosis. The chapter includes a mini-outline with page citations, full-color illustrations, and extensive references. 5 figures. 7 tables. 260 references. |