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.

Pancreas Image

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

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