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Management of Severe Acute Pancreatitis

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Abstract

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) develops in about 25% of patients with acute pancreatitis. Severity of acute pancreatitis is linked to the presence of systemic organ dysfunctions and/or necrotizing pancreatitis. Risk factors independently determining the outcome of SAP are early multiorgan failure (MOF), infection of necrosis, and extended necrosis (>50%). Morbidity of SAP is biphasic, in the first week it is strongly related to systemic inflammatory response syndrome while, sepsis due to infected pancreatic necrosis leading to MOF syndrome occurs in the later course after the first week. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography provides the highest diagnostic accuracy for necrotizing pancreatitis when performed after the first week of disease. Patients who suffer early organ dysfunctions or are at risk for developing a severe disease require early intensive care treatment. Antibiotic prophylaxis has not been shown as an effective preventive treatment. Early enteral feeding is based on a high level of evidence, resulting in a reduction of local and systemic infection. Patients suffering infected necrosis causing clinical sepsis are candidates for intervention. Hospital mortality of SAP after interventional or surgical debridement has decreased to below 20% in high-volume centers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre, 20 th floor, Pedder road, Mumbai, 400 026, India

    Nilesh Doctor, Pravin Agarwal & Vidhyachandra Gandhi

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  1. Nilesh Doctor
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  2. Pravin Agarwal
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  3. Vidhyachandra Gandhi
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Correspondence to Nilesh Doctor.

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Doctor, N., Agarwal, P. & Gandhi, V. Management of Severe Acute Pancreatitis. Indian J Surg 74, 40–46 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12262-011-0384-5

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