Principles of Treatment for Severe Pancreatitis

Written by Wang Li Bing
Intensive Care Medicine Department
Updated on September 14, 2024
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The treatment principles for severe pancreatitis mainly include the following points:

First, closely monitor the patient's heartbeat, respiration, blood pressure, blood oxygen, etc., and if possible, transfer them to the intensive care unit.

Second, maintain electrolyte balance and blood volume, and actively rehydrate.

Third, enhance nutritional support, which can include parenteral nutrition outside of gastrointestinal digestion.

Fourth, routinely use antibiotics in severe pancreatitis to prevent infection from necrotizing pancreatitis.

Fifth, reduce the secretion of pancreatic fluid, inhibit the synthesis of pancreatic enzymes, and suppress the activity of pancreatic enzymes. If the patient develops an infection associated with pancreatic necrosis, consider surgical treatment, etc.

Other Voices

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Written by Yang Chun Guang
Gastroenterology
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Which department should I go to for acute pancreatitis?

If acute pancreatitis occurs, it is recommended to register with the Department of Gastroenterology. Acute pancreatitis is generally divided into acute edematous pancreatitis and acute necrotizing pancreatitis. The common form of pancreatitis in daily life is acute edematous pancreatitis, which can be treated conservatively with medication in the gastroenterology department. If acute necrotizing pancreatitis occurs, surgery may be required. In such cases, after registering with the gastroenterology department and identifying a severe condition, an appropriate transfer to another department for treatment can be made. After all, when initially arriving at the hospital, without a detailed examination, it is unclear whether it is edematous or necrotic pancreatitis.

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Written by Zhu Dan Hua
Gastroenterology
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How is pancreatitis caused?

Pancreatitis is also a common disease in clinical practice, especially acute pancreatitis. There are many causes of acute pancreatitis. From a definitional perspective, it refers to the inflammatory changes in the pancreas caused by various reasons. For Chinese people, some common causes include biliary tract stones, cholelithiasis, etc., as well as excessive eating and drinking, hyperlipidemia, and alcohol consumption. The symptoms of pancreatitis include upper abdominal pain or pain in the waist and back, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever, etc. The diagnostic criteria for acute pancreatitis include typical abdominal pain, abnormal serum and urinary amylase levels, and abnormalities found in abdominal ultrasound or abdominal CT scans. If the aforementioned three criteria are met, pancreatitis can be diagnosed. The treatment plan for pancreatitis varies depending on the cause. For example, lipid lowering treatment is recommended for hyperlipidemia-induced cases, and surgical intervention is suggested for biliary tract stones.

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Written by Wei Shi Liang
Intensive Care Unit
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What can be eaten with severe pancreatitis?

Patients with severe pancreatitis should not eat orally. Historically, suppressing pancreatic enzyme secretion by resting the intestines has been considered an important means of controlling the progression of acute pancreatitis. Currently, the implementation of early enteral nutrition is proposed. Early enteral nutrition should be administered via a jejunal tube, which is safer. The nutritional formulation should be chosen based on the patient's condition and intestinal tolerance. Initially, only glucose water may be used to allow the intestines to adapt to the nutrition. Early nutrition should use low-fat preparations containing amino acids or short peptides, because whole proteins entering the intestine directly without being digested by stomach acid can cause indigestion. As the condition enters the recovery phase, the feeding amount and rate can be gradually increased, and preparations containing whole proteins may be given.

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Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
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Can pancreatitis be contagious?

Pancreatitis is not contagious; it is a serious digestive system disease. The main causes of pancreatitis include gallstones, binge eating, alcohol abuse, and consumption of greasy foods among other factors. Once an attack of pancreatitis occurs, the patient must immediately refrain from eating and drinking, undergo gastrointestinal decompression, and have gastric juices, acids, and stomach contents suctioned out. Meanwhile, treatments for pancreatitis may involve the use of somatostatin or octreotide to inhibit the secretion of pancreatic juice, as well as the use of third-generation cephalosporins or quinolone antibiotics for anti-infection treatment. (Please use medications under the guidance of a physician.)

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Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
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Is it okay to drink alcohol occasionally with pancreatitis?

Patients with pancreatitis absolutely must not drink alcohol, as it can lead to malnutrition and cause damage to organs such as the liver and pancreas, thereby reducing the patient's immunity. Even a single drinking session can provoke an episode of acute pancreatitis. Therefore, patients with pancreatitis must decidedly abstain from alcohol. Additionally, they should avoid overeating, as it can disturb gastrointestinal function, hinder normal bowel movements and emptying, and obstruct the normal secretion of bile and pancreatic juice, thus triggering a recurrence of pancreatitis.