Mr Charles Imber offers expert abdominal surgery. The operations that he performs can treat a variety of conditions that affect the organs inside the abdomen (pancreas, gallbladder, liver, spleen, small and large intestine) or the abdominal wall (hernias).
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Acute pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas caused by the digestive enzymes normally produced by the gland attacking its own tissues. Acute pancreatitis has several causes and can be prevented from recurring if the underlying cause is removed. If not, the condition can continue, leading to chronic pancreatitis, a major risk factor for pancreatic cancer.
The pancreas is a complex gland that has two functions:
The insulin that is produced is carried from the pancreas in the blood but the digestive enzymes are released directly into the small intestine nearby through the pancreatic duct. This is a small and delicate tube that lies right next to the bile duct that carries bile out of the gallbladder and into the intestine. The two ducts share a common opening.
If the pancreatic duct gets blocked, the enzymes produced inside the pancreas cannot escape. They are produced in an inactive form but any delay causes activation inside the organ. The digestive enzymes break down the cells of the pancreas, causing damage and acute inflammation.
Different events and circumstances can lead to an attack of acute pancreatitis, including:
In the UK, up to 2,500 people get acute pancreatitis in any 12-month period. In eight out of ten of them, prompt care will prevent ongoing complications and chronic pancreatitis.
Unfortunately, the other two out of ten people experience ongoing problems such as an abscess, a pancreatic pseudocyst or a bowel obstruction. All of these can be treated surgically but need to be done by an expert surgeon with experience in complex pancreatic surgery.
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