Acute
pancreatitis is a serious condition where the pancreas becomes inflamed over a
short period of time. Most people with acute
pancreatitis improve within a week and experience no further problems, but
severe cases can have serious complications and can even be fatal.
Acute pancreatitis is different
to chronic pancreatitis, where the inflammation
of the pancreas persists for many years. The most common symptoms of acute
pancreatitis include:
- suddenly
getting severe pain in the centre of your abdomen (tummy)
- feeling
sick
- vomiting.
Schematic diagram showing the anatomy of the pancreas and its adjacent structures.