Introduction
Before delving into the topic of pancreatitis, here is some background on the pancreas. The pancreas produces digestive juice, which is capable of digesting meat and protein. It is situated deep behind the upper abdominal cavity and we are normally not aware of its existence. It has a dual function: on the one hand it helps to digest food by sending its digestive enzymes through the pancreatic duct into the duodenum. This is achieved via the major duodenal papilla, also known as ampulla of Vater where the common bile duct goes through as well. When a person has gallstones and one of the stone migrates through the common bile duct, it can get stuck in the ampulla of Vater, which causes gall fluid to get backed up to the liver causing jaundice, and can get pancreatic juices backed up causing acute pancreatitis.
Diabetes
On the other hand the pancreas is an important endocrinological organ as it produces insulin and thereby regulates the sugar metabolism (endocrine function), but also the fat metabolisms through digestive enzymes (exocrine function).
Pancreatitis
When the pancreas gets inflamed, the exocrine function suffers first. The two important inflammatory conditions are acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatitis, diseases that occur in middle age. Below I will describe each of these entities in detail. Autoantibodies against the insulin producing cells cause a lack of insulin production, diabetes (type I), which usually occurs in children.
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