Management of acute pancreatitis: experience of a tertiary care hospital in Peshawar

ABSTRACT

To document the frequency, age, gender, etiology, mortality and morbidity of patients suffering from acute pancreatitis [AP] and managed at a tertiary care hospital. This prospective, descriptive, institution-based study was conducted in Department of Surgery, Rehman Medical Institute [RMI], Peshawar [Pakistan], from June 2010 to June 2013. All patients with acute pancreatitis admitted to our institute were managed with a set protocol. Consecutive, non-probability sampling was done. Data were collected from all patients by a single investigator using a researcher-administered questionnaire, which included patient demographics, various risk factors, treatment options, complications and mortality. A total of 47 patients were included in the study; 28 female and 19 male patients. Out of 47 patients 35 [74%] were of Afghan origin, while 12 [26%] were Pakistani. Majority of patients [57%] were between 20-40 years of age. Gall stone pancreatitis [GSP] was the cause of AP in 13 [28%], dyslipidemia in 9 [19%], and traumatic AP in one patient, while in 24 patients [51%] it was idiopathic. Ten [21%] patients developed pseudocyst. Out of a total of 47 patients, 3 [6%] expired. Patients suffering from acute pancreatitis and presenting to our hospital had a predominance of females. Majority of patients were between ages of 20-40 years. Idiopathic pancreatitis was the most common type followed by GSP. Mortality and morbidity in this study was low in comparison to other local studies