Abstract

ALVAREZ-AGUILAR, Pablo Andrés  and  DOBLES-RAMIREZ, Carlos Tobías. Acute pancreatitis: pathophysiology and initial management. Acta méd. costarric [online]. 2019, vol.61, n.1, pp.13-21. ISSN 0001-6002.

Acute pancreatitis is an intracellular calcium disorder in pancreatic cells, which constitutes the final common pathway of multiple etiopathogenic stimuli and can trigger local necroinflammatory changes, multisystemic effects and compromise distant organs. All of this leads to multiple complications due to organ dysfunction and infection in patients.

The adequate and opportune diagnosis, the approach according to severity and the optimization of the nutritional therapy; as well as an adequate analgesic, hydroelectrolytic resuscitation, the detection of organic dysfunction and of local and infectious complications, determine the clinical outcome of this pathology.

A narrative review was carried out including clinical studies, management guidelines, protocols and reviews. An initial approach for this pathology, from the critical medicine point of view, is provided.

Keywords : Acute pancreatitis; peritonitis; necrosis; Intra-abdominal hypertension; abdominal compartment syndrome.

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