Acute and Chronic Pancreatitis

The medical condition characterized by the inflammation of the pancreas is known as pancreatitis. There are two principal categories of pancreatitis - acute and chronic pancreatitis. Symptoms of pancreatitis are abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. In acute pancreatitis, the pancreas undergoes sudden inflammation. It is caused by a gallstone blocking the common bile duct, systemic diseases, trauma, heavy alcohol use and mumps. It can be recurrent or it may progress into chronic pancreatitis. It can be treated through intravenous nutritional support, pain control and intravenous fluid rehydration. Chronic pancreatitis is a long-term inflammation of the pancreas in which the structure and function of the pancreas is irreversibly changed. It is generally caused by idiopathic pancreatitis, tumors, intraductal obstruction, calcific stones, ischemia, etc. Chronic pancreatitis can be treated through therapeutic endoscopy and surgery. This book brings forth some of the most innovative concepts and elucidates the unexplored aspects of acute and chronic pancreatitis. It strives to provide a fair idea about these medical conditions to help develop a better understanding of the latest diagnostic and therapeutic advances in this field. Coherent flow of topics, student-friendly language and extensive use of examples make this book an invaluable source of knowledge.