Initial treatment of acute pancreatitis

Fifty patients with mild to moderately severe acute pancreatitis of various causes were randomly allocated to treatment with either nasogastric suction and intravenously administered fluids (SD) or the oral intake of clear fluids (FF). No significant difference was found between the two groups as far as abdominal pain, abdominal tenderness, degree of hyperamylasemia and hospital stay were concerned. Mortality and such complications as pancreatic abscess, pseudocyst and persisting hyperamylasemia occurred equally in both groups. The findings suggest that nasogastric suction and intravenously administered fluids provided no advantage compared with a simple therapy, consisting of the oral intake of fluids ad libitum in the treatment of patients with mild to moderately severe pancreatitis of various causations.