Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas, an organ that sits behind the stomach. The pancreas produces digestive juices and certain hormones, including insulin, which is responsible for regulating your blood sugar.

Pancreatitis can be either acute (sudden onset) or chronic (ongoing and longer-term).

Symptoms

People who have acute pancreatitis have sudden, severe upper abdominal pain, often spreading through to the back, and often eased by leaning forward.

They may also have nausea, vomiting, fevers, sweats and have a tender abdomen. They need treatment in hospital.

People with chronic pancreatitis have recurrent or even continuous upper abdominal pain, or might have repeated episodes of acute pancreatitis.

Treatment

Treatment options for pancreatitis after gallbladder surgery include urgent ultrasound and liver function blood tests to determine if there is bile blockage or leak. Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography (ERCP) can be both diagnostic – demonstrating bile blockage or leak, as well as therapeutic – allowing removal of common bile duct (CBD) stones, sphincterotimy and stent placement to allow free drainage of common bile duct .

include fasting, medications or surgery. It’s also important to treat the underlying cause of the pancreatitis, such as by avoiding alcohol or removing gallstones.

Surgery may be required to repair a bile leak or stricture.