Chronic Pancreatitis: Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Pancreatitis

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Chronic Pancreatitis
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Chronic Pancreatitis

• Pancreas is a large gland present near the
  stomach. There are two important functions
  performed by pancreas in the digestive system.
  The first is to secrete important hormones like
  insulin and glucagon while the second is to
  produce digestive juices that help to break down
  fats, proteins, and carbohydrates in the small
  intestine. Inflammation of pancreas due to
  chronic pancreatitis reduces the production of
  the digestive juices and also the amount of
  hormones secreted by the pancreas. There are two
  types - acute pancreatitis and chronic
  pancreatitis. Here we shall look into the causes,
  symptoms, and treatment of the latter.

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Causes of chronic pancreatitis

• Alcohol consumption is the primary cause,
  contributing 70 of the total cases. A prolonged
  period (i.e. 10 years or more) of alcoholism
  increases the risk of this disease. There are
  many other causes, and some of them are listed
  below 
• Cystic fibrosis
• Genetic disorder (namely, mutation of the 'gene
  7', which can be inherited from parents and the
  syndrome so acquired, is hereditary pancreatitis)
• Cancer / Gallstones (resulting in the narrowing
  of the pancreatic duct)
• Anatomical problem (like a person born with
  structural problems of the pancreas)
• Hyperparathyroidism or over-secretion of hormones
  by the parathyroid gland(leading to elevation
  in calcium levels)
• Injury or trauma to the pancreatic area causing
  inflammation

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Symptoms

• Abdominal pain  is the chief symptom. The
  patient suffers from severe pain in the upper
  part of abdomen. This pain may be continuous, may
  increase after eating or drinking anything, and
  may last from a few hours to 1-4 days. The list
  of other symptoms observed is given below
• Vomiting
• Weakness
• Jaundice
• Diabetes
• Fatty stools
• Nausea
• Digestion Problem

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Diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis

• It is seen more commonly in men between ages
  30-40. On observation of any of the symptoms, the
  physician will suggest a gastroenterologist (speci
  alist of digestive system disorders) for its
  diagnosis. The blood and faeces samples are
  taken, and sent to laboratory for tests. These
  tests, however, are not enough to confirm the
  diagnosis, and more tests are required. Most of
  these tests are imaging tests that give an image
  of the pancreas, and help to determine if there
  is any inflammation. These tests that confirm the
  diagnosis are given below 
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) It takes
  multiple X-rays and provides a detailed cross
  sectional image of the abdominal area around the
  pancreas.
• Ultrasonography An image of the pancreas is
  created on the monitor by passing sound waves
  through the patient's body. This image is called
  sonogram.

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Diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis
Continue

• ERCP (Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatograp
  hy) X-rays of the pancreatic ducts are taken by
  inserting an endoscope (flexible tube with camera
  at the inserted end) through patients body.
• EUS (Endoscopic Ultrasound) It is a test that
  combines the techniques used in ultrasound and
  ERCP. The sound waves are directed towards
  pancreas from the endoscope.
• Biopsy Sample of the pancreatic tissue is taken
  and sent to laboratory for further testing.

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Treatments

• The treatment focuses on reducing the abdominal
  pain and solving the digestive problems. 
• A diet plan that includes low fat and high
  calories and proteins is usually suggested.
• People, who drink alcohol excessively, should
  completely stop drinking to avoid dire
  consequences.
• To reduce the pain of the abdomen, medications
  like Tramadol are recommended. There may be some
  side effects of this, so, any medication should
  be taken only after consultation with the
  gastroenterologist.
• Pancreatic supplements are also given to increase
  the level of enzymes, or the digestive juices
  that are not secreted by pancreas. Even these
  medications may have side effects, and proper
  prescription of a physician is recommended.

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Treatments
Continue

• Anatomical problem of the pancreatic duct that
  leads to sever abdominal pain may need a surgery.
• Treatment for this disorder due to gallstones may
  involve removal of the gallbladder.
• Patients, who develop diabetes due to this
  syndrome, need to maintain the insulinlevel with
  medications or by injecting insulin.Chronic
  pancreatitis is not a curable disease, but the
  symptoms can be reduced. The disease may reduce
  the life expectancy of the patient. So, timely
  treatment is essential, and one should stop
  drinking alcohol if it was the major cause. Not
  only this disease, but many other diseases can be
  prevented by eating healthy food and by avoiding
  alcohol consumption.

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