Anton Vavrečka
Acute pancreatitis is acute inflamation of pancreas with variable course, developing from autodigestion of pancreatic tissue. Prognosis depends mainly from two factors: from clinical forms of acute pancreatitis and from management of illness. Mild (oedematous) form needn´t very intensive therapy and mortality is nearly zero. Severe (necrotic) form needs more agressive therapy, mortality is much higher and in cases with infection of necrosis achieve 20 - 30 %. Patient with acute pancreatitis needs hospitalisation, quick determination of right diagnosis, monitoring of vital functions, early diferentiation between biliary and nonbiliary and mild and severe pancreatitis. Therapy is conservative: fasting, replacement of fluids and electrolyts, pain suppressing, and in severe forms also antibiotics. Application of antiproteases didn´t have influence on morbidity and mortality. Complications have to be threated symptomatically. Severe acute biliary pancreatitis may be treated also endoscopically. Surgery is indicated only in patients with infected necrosis and abscesses.