Pancreatitis

Chronic Pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis

Causes

The vast majority of cases in the UK are caused by gallstones and alcohol.

Popular mnemonic is GET SMASHED

• Gallstones
• Ethanol
• Trauma
• Steroids
• Mumps (other viruses include Coxsackie B)
• Autoimmune (e.g. polyarteritis nodosa), Ascaris infection
• Scorpion venom
• Hypertriglyceridaemia, Hyperchylomicronaemia, Hypercalcaemia, Hypothermia
• ERCP
• Drugs (azathioprine, mesalazine^, didanosine, bendroflumethiazide, furosemide, pentamidine, steroids, sodium valproate)
  • ^ pancreatitis is 7 times more common in patients taking mesalazine than sulfasalazine

CT from a patient with acute pancreatitis. Note the diffuse parenchymal enlargement with oedema and indistinct margins.

Complications