Inflammation after pancreatic enzymes have escaped into the pancreas, causing symptoms of acute abdominal pain.
Pancreatitis of sudden onset, marked clinically by epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting, and elevated serum pancreatic enzymes. Varying degrees of pancreatic inflammation, autodigestion, necrosis, hemorrhage, gangrene, or pseudocyst formation may develop. The disease may be relatively mild, resolving in 3 or 4 days, or severe enough to cause multiple organ system failure, shock, and death (in about 5% of patients). The patient may assume a sitting or fetal position in attempting to ease the pain, as lying supine or walking tends to increase discomfort.