WHAT IS PANCREATITIS

Acute pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis is a condition that develops when the pancreas is damaged by an inflammation that leads to swelling and sometimes to necrosis (death) of parts of the pancreas. In about 85% of patients, acute pancreatitis is a mild disease and is associated with a rapid recovery within a few days of onset of the illness.

In about 15-20% of patients, acute pancreatitis can lead to severe damage of the pancreas associated with the development of pancreatic necrosis (parts of the pancreas becomes dead).

Development of pancreatic necrosis often lead to a severe illness associated with an extended hospital stay, multiple surgical procedures and occasionally death in some patients.

Patients with severe acute pancreatitis are at risk for
developing the following complications:

• Failure of multiple body organ systems such as the heart, lungs, liver and kidney.
• Pancreatic necrosis (parts of the pancreas becomes dead)
• Infected pancreatic necrosis (infection of the dead pancreas)
• Pancreatic abscess
• Pseudocysts
• Pancreatic fistula
• Damage to surrounding organs such as small bowel, colon and duodenum by the inflammation

Specialty treatments for acute pancreatitis offered by the USC Center for
Pancreatic and Biliary Diseases

• Team of pancreatic specialists from different subspecialties provide optimal care to patients with acute pancreatitis
• Specialized ICU care
• Laparoscopic surgery for pancreatic abscess, pancreatic necrosis and pseudocyst. One of the few centers in the USA to offer these complex surgical procedures; our preferred approach for these condition is by laparoscopic surgery.
• Experience in open surgical drainage of pancreatic infection and necrosis
• Specialized endoscopic procedures for treatment of pseudocyst

Chronic pancreatitis

Patients with chronic pancreatitis are at risk for developing
the following problems:

• severe chronic pain
• diabetes mellitus
• poor absorption of nutrients from the digestive tract especially fats
• cancer of the pancreas
• blockage of bile ducts
• pseudocyst
• bleeding from the stomach

Specialty surgical operations for chronic pancreatitis offered by the USC Center for
Pancreatic and Biliary Diseases

• Laparoscopic and open Peustow procedure of pancreatic duct drainage
• Pancreatic head resection preserving the duodenum and the bile duct
• Laparoscopic surgery for pancreatic pseudocyst
• Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy
• Laparoscopic Whipple surgery

Contact information: USC Center for Pancreatic and Biliary Diseases
1510 San Pablo Street, Los Angeles, CA
Phone: 1-855-724-7874 dde-mail:PancreasDiseases@surgery.usc.edu
Programs: pancreatic cancer, pancreatitis, laparoscopic surgery, endocrine surgery,
ddddddddd biliary surgery

This web site provides select information about pancreatic and biliary disorders and is updated twice monthly. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical consultation with your physician.It is important that you consult with your physician for detailed information about your medical condition and treatment.The center will make every effort to update the site, however, past performance is no guarantee of future medical outcomes.
Copyright © 2002 USC Center for pancreatic and biliary diseases. All rights reserved.