Acute and chronic pancreatitis

Abstract

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an acute inflammatory process of the pancreas that can involve regional tissues or even remote organs. In 80–85% of cases AP is self-limiting with minimal clinical manifestations (Bradley 1993). In some cases, however, it can cause even a multiorgan failure (MOF) (Bollen et al. 2007). In this last subset of patients the mortality rate reaches 30% (Foster et al. 2016; Whitcomb 2006). The management of AP is complex and requires, in most severe cases, a multidisciplinary team, made up of gastroenterologist, surgeon, radiologist, and interventional radiologist. AP is one of the most common reasons for hospitalization accounting for $2.6 bn in annual inpatient cost in the USA (Zhao et al. 2015).