title: Acute pancreatitis and organ failure: pathophysiology, natural history, and management strategies.
abstract: Acute pancreatitis is a common condition that carries a significant risk of morbidity and mortality. It is characterized by intra-acinar cell activation of digestive enzymes and a subsequent systemic inflammatory response governed by the release of proinflammatory cytokines. In 80% of patients the disease runs a self-limiting course, but in the rest, pancreatic necrosis and systemic organ failure carry a mortality rate of up to 40%. The key to management is early identification of the patients liable to have a severe attack and require treatment in a high-dependency or critical-care setting by a specialist team. In gallstone-induced pancreatitis, early removal of ductal calculi by endoscopic sphincterotomy is indicated. The use of prophylactic antibiotics to prevent the infection of pancreatic necrosis remains controversial, but once established, infected necrosis must be removed. Although a number of techniques to accomplish this end have been described, minimally invasive techniques are gaining in popularity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Liverpool, 5th Floor, UCD Building, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Daulby Street, Liverpool L69 3GA, UK.
authors.forename: Michael G T
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Raraty
authors.forename: Saxon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Connor
authors.forename: David N
authors.initials: DN
authors.lastname: Criddle
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Neoptolemos
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D016207:Cytokines / Q000502:physiology; D042882:Gallstones / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D009336:Necrosis; D010179:Pancreas / Q000473:pathology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D016207:Cytokines