How Do I Evaluate a Patient for Chronic Pancreatitis in the Emergency Department? How Are These Patients Managed Acutely? What Therapies Exist for Long-Term Management of This Condition?

Abstract

Patients with chronic pancreatitis can present to an acute care setting with a variety of complications related to long-standing fibrosis of the pancreatic ducts and parenchyma. These may manifest as vascular, exocrine, endocrine, or other types of serious systemic dysfunction and warrant careful consideration. Treatment modalities should be tailored to known or suspected underlying etiologies and may include a combination of surgical, endoscopic, and medical therapies. Pain relief is a complicated goal encompassing a multimodal, interdisciplinary approach. The emergency department can help facilitate management of chronic pancreatitis by ruling out life-threatening complications and facilitating access to appropriate pain management resources for more definitive therapies.