Clinical Studies on Acute Pancreatitis

The authors were conducted the studies based on the analysis of the clinical and laboratory features of 145 cases of acute pancreatitis, admitted to the department of internal medicine, Ewha Womans University Hoispital, during the period from January, 1970 to December, 1976. The results obtained are as follows: 1) The incidence of acute pancreatitis was higher in woman than man and its peak level was 20 years and in next, 30 years both male and female. 2) The main symptoms were severe epigastric pain(97.9%) and in next, nausea and vomiting, radiating abdominal pain, fever, indigestion, diarrhea & constipation. The physical examination most frequently showed abdominal tenderness(92.4%) and in next, abdominal distension, muscle rigidity, jaundice & hepatomegaly. 3) The elevation of serum amylase above 300 somogyi unit was 71.7%, that of serum lipase was 45.6%, that of serum bilirubin was 42.4%. CAm/Ccr ratio was increased by more than 1.5~2 times of normal group in acute pancreatitis. 4) In radiologic studies, localized gas distension on small bowel in 93 cases of plain abdomen was 56.0%. Widened C-loop was 24.1% and spasticity of duodenal bulb was 13.8% in 29cases of upper G-1 series and non-visualization of gall bladder was 25.0% in 20 cases of oral GB series. 5) The possible etioloigic factors were overeating, undetermined, alcohol drinking & biliary tract disease in frequent orders. And associated diseases were biliary tract disorder, peptic ulcer & gastritis, pulmonary tuberculosis and paralytic ileus. 6) In 8 cases among 145 cases, surgical operation was performed, as a result of biopsy, hemorrhagic pancreatitis was 4 cases, pancreatic pseudocyst was 2 cases, fat necrosis was 1 case and pancreatic abscess was 1 case. 7) On the therapeutic results, recovery & improvement was 95.1%. No improvement & death were 4.9% each other and relapse was 2.8%.