ABSTRACT
Acute pancreatitis is an acute inflammatory process of the pancreas that can involve peripancreatic tissue or remote organs. Acute pancreatitis is classified as mild or severe. Severe disease is characterized by organ failure, or local complications such as necrosis, pseudocysts or fistulae. Pancreatitis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all patients with abdominal pain and the serum amylase checked. The incidence of acute pancreatitis is approximately 5 cases per 100000 of the population per annum. Most episodes are mild and self-limiting. A total of 20% of patients develop a severe attack and the overall mortality is 5-10%.
