Acute Pancreatitis and what needs to be done

Acute Pancreatitis Treatment - Sakra World Hospital

Acute Pancreatitis can hamper your lifestyle to a vast extent. For this reason, it is important to lead a healthy lifestyle, devoid of smoking and alcohol intake. In addition to this, a balanced diet with good intake of anti-oxidants is necessary. It is also very important that regular health checkups be taken to detect any risk factors that may play a role in development of Pancreatitis. During the regular health checks, it is necessary to present all details of any pains of problems one is facing, in addition to presenting a complete medical history.

Pancreatitis may advance in many stages. Mild Pancreatitis is self-limiting and pain normally abates in 2 to 3 days. For this to happen, it is important to maintain the prescribed diet as well as medication. On the other hand, for more severe cases of Pancreatitis, there is a lot of unpredictability and a long drawn course, which includes prolonged hospitalization and ICU care over a long period of time. The course of the disease shall always bee decided on basis of the resolution of these issues and the complications that may arise during the same. These varying forms of pancreatitis also affect the treatments and their outcomes. In mild pancreatitis, medical treatment will improve most cases, evading any further problems. Abstinence from alcohol is important but in some cases, diseases of the gall bladder may be causing the issues, requiring surgical removal. In severe cases, endoscopic intervention, ultrasound or CT guided surgery may be required, the timing and method of which shall have to be decided by a multi-disciplinary team. The disease may have a fluctuating course, which may present the need of multiple procedures. If need be, a dialysis may also be required. On the whole, ICU care, in combination with a multidisciplinary team approach and availability of sophisticated methods, is responsible for a survival rate of 70-80%, for Pancreatitis.

Early diagnosis and critical supportive care are key to successful outcome of medical procedures. Severe cases should be identified and monitored closely. Critical decisions need to made by a multidisciplinary team. Based on the findings and decisions of experts, patients may be prescribed rehabilitation and nutritional support. Regular blood checks are mandatory in such a situation, so as to keep diabetes under control. Patients who are at risk on developing malnutrition, due to the decrease in secretion of pancreatic juices, shall have to be placed on pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy.

The Institute of Digestive and HPB Sciences at Sakra World Hospital has initiated a “Surviving Pancreatitis Campaign”. A Pancreatitis Core Group is constituted comprising of specialists with expertise and interest in disease of the pancreas. The objective of this core group is to provide dedicated, comprehensive care based on standard protocols. A core specialists group ensures that critical decisions are taken timely and treatment plan is executed based on well-established standard protocols. The Pancreatitis Core Group, a multidisciplinary team comprises of Surgical gastroenterologists, gastroenterologists, intensive care specialists and radiologists. All patients with diagnosis of Acute Pancreatitis admitted to Sakra World Hospital, are evaluated and managed by the Pancreatitis Core Group. Patients and family are counseled in detail regarding the status of the patients’ disease and all treatment decisions and interventions are discussed. One of the key features for a good outcome is a good rapport and relationship of the family and treating doctors.