Acute Pancreatitis: Treatments

An irritation of the that can cause it to stop working. It is most often caused by gallstones or alcohol abuse.

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About Acute Pancreatitis Treatments

for requires a few days’ stay in the hospital for (IV) fluids, antibiotics, and medication to relieve pain. The person cannot eat or drink so the can rest. If occurs, a tube may be placed through the and into the to remove fluid and air.

Unless complications arise, usually resolves in a few days. In severe cases, the person may require feeding—a special liquid given in a long, thin tube inserted through the and and into the —for several weeks while the heals.

Before leaving the hospital, the person will be advised not to smoke, drink alcoholic beverages, or eat fatty meals. In some cases, the cause of the pancreatitis is clear, but in others, more tests are needed after the person is discharged and the pancreas is healed.

Therapeutic Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for Acute and Chronic Pancreatitis

ERCP is a specialized technique used to view the pancreas, gallbladder, and bile ducts and treat complications of acute and chronic pancreatitis—gallstones, narrowing or blockage of the pancreatic duct or bile ducts, leaks in the bile ducts, and pseudocysts—accumulations of fluid and tissue debris.

Soon after a person is admitted to the hospital with suspected narrowing of the pancreatic duct or bile ducts, a physician with specialized training performs ERCP…