The pancreas is an elongated but tapered glandular organ located in upper abdomen and lies behind the stomach. The pancreas is responsible for producing digestive juices containing enzymes which are essential for proper digestion and hormones like insulin and glucagons which regulate the glucose level in the blood.
The pancreas has two functional components: –
1. The endocrine part which produce and secretes hormones into the blood stream
2. The exocrine part which produce digestive juices
Acinar cells are outward or exocrine cells.
Pancreatitis: – Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas. It may be acute or chronic. Both acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis can be severe and even life threatening.
Acute Pancreatitis: – It is an acute inflammatory process of the pancreas in which peripancreatic tissue or remote organ systems may also be involved.
Pancreatitis Causes: -
1. Gall Stone
2. Some types of drugs
3. Use of excessive alcohol
4. Chronic hypercalcemia
5. Toxins (e.g. Scorpion venom)
6. Infections such as mumps, tuberculosis, toxoplasmosis etc.
7. Abdominal trauma
8. Peptic ulcer or other duodenal disease
9. Cystic fibrosis
10. Pancreatic tumor
11. Ischemia from bye pass surgery
Acute pancreatitis from Gall stones
A small gall stone (a few millimeter in diameter) migrating from gall bladder to common bile duct may reach the duodenal papilla. As a result of this, pressure in the pancreatic duct may suddenly increase which may also cause ‘Secretory block of digestive enzymes or reflux of bile’s into the pancreatic duct.
Gall stone, use of excessive alcohol, drugs whatever may be the cause once the gland becomes inflamed the condition can progress to swelling, bleeding infection and damage to the gland. The digestive enzymes which normally travel to the duodenum through the pancreatic duct become trapped and start digesting the pancreas itself. Acute pancreatitis begins just after the damage of the pancreas starts.
Pancreatitis Symptoms: –
1. Severe abdominal pain which is epigastric and radiates to the back.
2. Vomiting and Nausea.
3. Diarrhea, loss of appetite.
4. Foul swelling, oily and pale stools.
5. Abdominal tenderness.
6. Fever
7. Hypertension
8. Tachycardia etc.
Author: Surya Narayan Bhattacharya