title: Diarrhoea due to pancreatic diseases.
abstract: The exocrine pancreas provides essential digestive enzymes necessary for the proper breakdown and absorption of ingested food in humans. Any disruption of this process can lead to malabsorption and resultant diarrhoea. Typically, disruption of over 90 percent of the pancreatic parenchyma is needed to result in diarrhoea. This disruption can result from widespread pancreatic necrosis in acute pancreatitis, fibrotic replacement of the parenchyma as seen in chronic pancreatitis and in patients with pancreatic cancer where normal tissue is replaced by tumour and/or the pancreatic duct becomes obstructed. Several uncommon tumours of the pancreas can also cause diarrhoea through the secretion of hormones. This article will explore each of these diseases, including the pathogenesis and treatment.
authors: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Maimonides Medical Center, State University of New York, 2211 Emmons Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11235, USA.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Brelian
authors: Scott
authors: S
authors: Tenner
mesh_terms: D002908:Chronic Disease; D004796:Clinical Enzyme Tests; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000209:etiology*; D010188:Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D010179:Pancreas / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D050500:Pancreatitis, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D013005:Somatostatinoma / Q000150:complications; D003969:Vipoma / Q000150:complications; D015043:Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome / Q000150:complications