Pancreas Research Paper

The Pancreas The pancreas is probably one of the few organs that we really do not pay close attention to, but it is a very vital organ. The pancreas is a part of the digestive system. It is the largest organ in its system. It plays life sustaining roles in the regulation of food digestion and blood glucose levels. The anatomy of the pancreas helps us to understand each part and each section and how it pertains to the body. It is also very to study the physiology, because it tells us the functions of the pancreas and how it works. Disease states and laboratory testing are important because it they give us the different aliments and the different testing required to properly diagnose and treat a patient. In this paper, we will discuss the
Pancreatitis comes from inflammation of the pancreas that happens as an effect of auto digestion. With acute pancreatitis, the pancreas makes enzymes too early and begins to digest the pancreatic cells. It happens abruptly and only last for a brief period. Things that can trigger acute pancreatitis are smoking, alcohol, diets high in fat proteins, and obstructive liver disease. Some symptoms of pancreatitis include upper right abdominal pain after a heavy meal or alcoholic binge, and the pancreas can become edematous, enlarged, steatorrhea, and malabsorption (Sunheimer & Graves, 2011, pg. 382). The hallmark symptom is vomiting with a decrease of pain. It can develop to necrosis, begin hemorrhaging, and eventually can be fatal. Treatment goals are to provide supportive care, decrease and prevent further local pancreatic necrosis and the inflammatory process and recognize and treat complications, prevent future attacks (Sunheimer & Graves, 2011, pg. 383). A complication of acute pancreatitis is adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Another state of pancreatitis is chronic pancreatitis. Chronic pancreatitis is permanent damage to the tissue with sign of inflammation and fibrosis (Sunheimer & Graves, 2011, pg. 383). It usually can be see after recurring instances of acute pancreatitis and pancreatic cells are now scar tissue. Because of the damage that chronic pancreatitis results in, the endocrine and exocrine portions of the pancreas are completely destroyed. Alcohol abuse is the most common cause of chronic pancreatitis. Symptoms are constant abdominal pain but some do not experience pain at all. Patients have also been found to display nausea, vomiting, and fatty stool (Sunheimer & Graves, 2011, pg. 383). Pseudocyst formation and obstruction of the duodenum and common bile duct can be results of complications of chronic pancreatitis