What is Chronic Pancreatitis?
In chronic pancreatitis, the inflammation of the pancreas does not go away; rather, it worsens and eventually causes irreversible damage. Scarring and irreversible damage to the pancreas causes chronic pancreatitis, which in turn inhibits a patient's capacity to digest food and produce pancreatic hormones.
The pancreatic duct, which delivers digestive enzymes and juices, can become clogged if calcium cysts or stones form in the organ. Because of the obstruction, pancreatic enzyme and hormone levels may drop, making digestion and blood sugar regulation more difficult. Serious health complications, including as diabetes and malnutrition, might result from this.
Factors Responsible for Chronic Pancreatitis
In India, alcohol is the leading cause of chronic pancreatitis.
Some more reasons are:
- Genetic mutations and heredity
- Autoimmune diseases
- Symptoms of a clogged pancreatic or common bile duct
- Cauliflower disease
- Overactive parathyroidism
- High amounts of triglycerides, often known as hypertriglyceridemia
- Some drugs like thiazides, azathioprine, sulfonamides, etc.
- Smoking
- Discomfort in the upper belly
- I have diarrhea.
- Loose, colorless, and fatty poops that don't pass water quickly
- Irritation and throwing up
- Fat loss that defies explanation
- Type 2 diabetes
- Odorous and greasy excrement
- It may take hours, or even days, for a painful episode to pass. Consuming fluids, such as food or drink, could exacerbate pain for some people. The discomfort could become continuous as the illness advances.
How is chronic pancreatitis diagnosed?
- The fecal fat test is used to evaluate the amount of fat in feces and the body's rate of absorption.
- Check Serum Amylase levels in blood
- Autoimmune pancreatitis can be diagnosed by testing serum IgG4.
- Lipase levels in the blood can be measured using serum lipase.
- It is possible to gauge blood trypsinogen levels by testing serum trypsinogen.
- A CT scan of the abdomen can show you the belly in a cross-sectional view.
- An abdominal ultrasound looks at the belly's internal organs, including the kidneys, pancreas, and spleen.
- ERCP is a non-invasive procedure that uses endoscopy and fluoroscopy to diagnose issues in the upper gastrointestinal system.
- Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) is a method that combines endoscopy with ultrasound to produce endoscopic images of superior quality.
- One non-invasive way to see the biliary and pancreatic ducts is via an MRCP scan.
Medical Care
Chronic pancreatitis treatment aims to alleviate symptoms and restore normal digestive function. It is impossible to reverse pancreatic damage, but symptoms can be effectively treated with the right care. Medication, endoscopic therapy, or surgical procedures may be employed to treat pancreatitis.
Surgical Treatment for Chronic Pancreatitis
In order to alleviate pain, the pancreatic duct is decompressed during surgery, which is the main therapy option. To relieve pain coming from the pancreatic head, it is sometimes necessary to core out a reasonable amount of pancreatic parenchyma. The removal of a portion of the pancreas can alleviate acute discomfort that is not responding to medicines. Unblocking the pancreatic duct, draining cysts, or widening the duct if it's too narrow can all be accomplished through surgical means. You must abstain from alcohol, regardless of if it is the direct cause of your pancreatitis. If you want to lower your risk of pancreatic cancer, quitting smoking is a good first step.
If you or someone you know has been suffering from Chronic Pancreatitis please visit Dr. K.S. Patel for Chronic Pancreatitis Treatment in Ahmedabad.