[Current trends of artificial enteral nutrition in acute pancreatitis]

During recent years, there has been considerable debate as to the nutritional supply that needs to be established for a patient with acute pancreatitis. The main problem is still infection of the pancreatic necrosis, which has a decisive bearing on the indication for surgery and is the main cause of mortality. Infection stems from bacterial translocation from the patient's gut. Enteral nutrition with its known potential for reducing this type of infection constitutes an attempt to prevent it by preserving the enteric mucosal barrier. Today, the concept of pancreatic rest is no longer considered mandatory in the guidelines of many Surgical and Nutritional Societies, whilst enteral nutrition is the gold standard for acute pancreatitis. Assuring an integrated parenteral and enteral supply before reaching the full regimen of enteral nutrition is the most reliable policy during the early days of the disease. Moreover, outcomes being equal, enteral nutrition is cheaper than parenteral nutrition, as has been extensively demonstrated in many clinical trials in severe acute pancreatitis.