Pancreatitis Health Center

Patients being treated for acute pancreatitis usually need to spend a few days in a hospital for IV fluids, antibiotics and medication. During treatment, the patient will not be allowed to eat or drink so that the pancreas can rest and take a break from working to digest substances.

Unless further complications arise, the condition usually goes away with treatment in a few days. Patients with more severe cases may need nasogastric feeding, in which a special liquid is delivered through a long, thin tube inserted through the nose and throat into the stomach. After treatment, the patient should not smoke, drink alcohol or eat fatty meals.

Therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) can be used in the treatment of both acute and chronic pancreatitis. ERCP is used to look at the pancreas, gallbladder and bile ducts in order to treat complications of the condition, such as gallstones, narrowed or blocked pancreatic or bile ducts, leaks in the bile ducts and buildup of fluid and tissue debris.

To conduct ERCP, the patient is lightly sedated then given medication to numb the throat. A doctor then inserts an endoscope with a small camera through the mouth, throat and stomach and into the small intestine. The doctor then injects dye to more clearly see the pancreas, bile ducts and gallbladder.

The following procedures can be performed using ERCP:

  • Sphincterotomy. The doctor uses a small wire on the endoscope to find the muscle surrounding the pancreatic or bile duct and makes a tiny cut to enlarge the duct opening. If there is a pseudocyst, the duct is drained.
  • Gallstone Removal. The endoscope is used to remove stones built up in the pancreatic and bile ducts with a tiny basket. This procedure can be performed with a sphincterotomy.
  • Stent Placement. The doctor uses an endoscope to place a tiny piece of plastic or metal, which looks like a straw, in a narrowed pancreatic or bile duct to widen it and keep it open.
  • Balloon Dilatation. Certain endoscopes come with a small ballon attached toward the end. The doctor uses this balloon to dilate or stretch narrowed pancreatic or bile ducts. A temporary stent (mesh tube) then may be placed there to keep the duct open for a few months.

Patients with chronic pancreatitis also may need to be hospitalized for pain management, IV hydration and nutritional support. Once the patient starts to eat a normal diet again, the doctor may prescribe synthetic pancreatic enzymes if the pancreas is still cannot secrete enzymes on its own. Patients should take these enzymes at every meal, as they can help these patients digest food and regain some weight that has been lost.

Next, patients should begin incorporating a healthy diet that is low in fat and includes small, frequent meals. Furthermore, those living with chronic pancreatitis should not drink alcohol or smoke and limit their caffeine consumption. They should make sure to drink plenty of fluids as well.

Review Date: 
August 9, 2012
Last Updated:
June 2, 2014
Source:
dailyrx.com