A Primer of Pancreatitis

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-VI

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • P. G. Lankisch, M. Büchler, J. Mössner, S. Müller-Lissner

   Pages 1-1

3. Definitions

   • P. G. Lankisch, M. Büchler, J. Mössner, S. Müller-Lissner

   Pages 2-3

4. Physiology of pancreatic secretion

   • P. G. Lankisch, M. Büchler, J. Mössner, S. Müller-Lissner

   Pages 4-5

5. Acute pancreatitis

   • P. G. Lankisch, M. Büchler, J. Mössner, S. Müller-Lissner

   Pages 6-33

6. Chronic pancreatitis

   • P. G. Lankisch, M. Büchler, J. Mössner, S. Müller-Lissner

   Pages 34-65

7. Back Matter

   Pages 67-68

   PDF

Acute pancreatitis is an often life-threatening gastroenterological disease. Early diagnosis and reliable assessment of the severity of acute pancreatitis can have a decisive influence on the patient's prognosis. Alcohol consumption has increased considerably throughout the world in recent years and, in Germany for example, now amounts to between 10 and 12 litres of pure alcohol per head of the population annually. General practitioners and clinicians are therefore increasingly being confronted with patients who drink too much alcohol and complain of upper abdomi­ nal pain. Alcohol is the most common cause of chronic pancreatitis. The diagnostic interval (from the onset of symptoms of chronic pancreatitis to diagnosis) is currently between three and five years, a long and certainly unacceptable time. The aim of this Primer of Pancreatitis is to provide doctors working in general practice or in hospital with the most important information con­ cerning acute and chronic pancreatitis. The emphasis is directed to aspects relevant to practical management. The advise is based on the latest state of the art. Paul Georg Lankisch Markus Buchler Joachim M6ssner Stefan Miiller-Lissner Acknowledgement. We would like to express our gratitude to M.A. Rudmann, M.D., of Solvay Pharmaceuticals GmbH for supporting the pub­ lication of the English version of the "Pankreatitisfibel". 1 Definitions Acute pancreatitis The severity of the clinical state and the morphological alterations do not always agree. Acute pancreatitis can recur. Chronic pancreatitis The loss of function often becomes clinically noticeable only when stea­ torrhoea and/or diabetes mellitus develop.

• Pancreas
• chronic pancreatitis
• complication
• complications
• diagnosis
• endoscopy
• etiology
• pathogenesis
• physiology
• surgery
• therapy

• Department of Medicine, Municipal Hospital, Lüneburg, Deutschland

  P. G. Lankisch

• Department of Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University of Bern (Inselspital), Bern, Switzerland

  M. Büchler

• Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Deutschland

  J. Mössner

• Department of Medicine, Park-Klinik Weissensee, Berlin, Deutschland

  S. Müller-Lissner

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