[Diseases of the pancreas]

Acute pancreatitis occur after autodigestion of pancreatic tissue with pancreatic enzymes followed by necrosis and secondary infection. Two most common causes are biliary stones and alcoholism. Other causes are rare. Computerised tomography and abdominal ultrasonography are of basic diagnostic value. In early phase of pancreatitis ultrasound of biliary three is important. Urgent intervention with stone extraction can prevent severe forms of pancreatitis. Chronic pancreatitis with its etiology is related to alcohol consumption (70-80%). Other causes are common to acute pancreatitis. Long lasting papillar obstruction could cause chronic inflammatory changes on pancreas. Natural course of disease reduce tissue of gland significantly with maldigestion and malabsorption symptoms. Most common tumor of pancreas is ductal adenocarcinoma with increasing incidence of 10/100,000 per year. Risk factors are: smoking, diabetes mellitus, 65% of cancers are in the head of gland. Treatment is surgical but rarely in early phase that allows radical resectability. Endoscopic palliation is placing of biliary stents. Biliodigestive anastomoses are performed surgically.