Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas and this condition has many causes.
Pancreatitis could be secondary to the following:
– abdominal trauma
– administration of corticosteroids
– obstruction of the pancreatic duct by ascaris
– obstruction of the common bile duct
– complications of mumps, septic emboli and extension of neighboring inflammation.
Though rare in childhood, it is possible that pancreatitis may occur more frequently than is currently recognized.
So, what are the clinical manifestations of pancreatitis? These are:
– sudden onset of severe abdominal pain over the epigastric or umbilical region
– vomiting
– constipation
– slight fever
– the abdomen may have distention, tenderness and muscle guarding in the upper abdominal region
– when rectal examination is done, there could be diffuse tenderness or none at all
The diagnosis of Pancreatitis is based on the clinical picture of an acute abdomen with high level of serum amylase.