Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis Symptoms

Symptoms of sudden acute pancreatitis might include severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, and jaundice. Frequent episodes of acute pancreatitis can further damage the pancreas and result in it becoming chronic pancreatitis.

Symptoms of chronic pancreatitis might include ongoing pain in the upper abdomen or back, weight loss, diarrhoea, greasy or clay-coloured stools, and diabetes.

Ignoring pancreatitis symptoms can result in serious complications – infection (pancreatic necrosis), pancreatic cysts, malnutrition, and pancreatic cancer.

If you are experiencing constant pain in your abdomen, consider scheduling a consultation with our pancreatic doctor.

Causes of Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis is commonly caused by gallstones or heavy alcohol consumption. Other causes could be trauma to the abdomen, infections, certain medications, and hypertriglyceridemia (high levels of fat in the bloodstream). For a minority of patients, the cause may be unknown.

Treatments for Pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis

For mild cases of acute pancreatitis, treatment may involve resting and taking pain medications. Patients might also be given intravenous (IV) fluids because pancreatitis can cause dehydration.

If the pancreatitis is more severe, other forms of treatment may be required:

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ECRP) – To find and remove gallstones that are blocking the pancreatic and bile duct
Gallbladder surgery (cholecystectomy) – Removes the gallbladder if it is found that gallstones are causing the pancreatitis
Drainage – Drains the fluid or removes damaged tissue from the pancreas

Chronic pancreatitis

Treatment for milder cases of chronic pancreatitis include:

Painkillers
Digestive enzyme supplements
Anti-diabetic medication

For severe cases of chronic pancreatitis, surgery may be recommended:

Nerve block surgery to relieve the pain
Pancreaticojejunostomy: a procedure that relieves the blockage in your pancreatic duct
Pancreatectomy (total or partial): to remove the pancreas

Dr Victor Lee and Dr Ek Khoon Tan have more than 40 years of experience in treating pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, and pancreatic cysts. We believe that dedication, skill, and multidisciplinary care is key to achieving optimal outcomes.

For more information, call us at

6737 8878

Mount Elizabeth Orchard

6475 1488

Gleneagles Hospital

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