Another type of disease that our hospital's general surgery clinic deals with is pancreatic diseases. There are many types of pancreatic diseases.

What are Pancreatic Diseases?

The pancreas, one of the most important organs, is the organ that occupies space from the right side of the abdomen to the left part of the liver and regulates body enzymes with the hormones it secretes, balances blood sugar and helps digest food.

Pancreatic diseases are caused by the inability of the pancreas to secrete enzymes, to perform its digestive function, and to regulate the body's insulin resistance. Pancreatic diseases include acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis, hereditary pancreatitis, autoimmune pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Acute pancreatitis is the failure of the pancreas to deliver its enzymes to the intestines and the enzymes remain in the pancreas.

As a result of this situation, gallstones appear and these stones cause obstruction in the gallbladder and its ducts. It is an acute disorder that occurs when the pancreatic gland becomes blocked and causes edema and swelling due to stones falling into the pancreatic duct. The biggest factors are fatty diet and alcohol use. Inadequate treatment may cause fatal necrotizing pancreatitis. Chronic pancreatitis is a disease that is usually hereditary and can progress. It is caused by damage to the cells and pancreas as a result of inflammation in the pancreas. Alcohol consumption is a trigger for the disease. Since digestion cannot develop properly, indigestion problems occur. People have a high risk of diabetes because the pancreas gland does not function properly. Hereditary pancreatitis is a disease caused by congenital disorders in the structure of the pancreas. It may progress to chronic pancreatitis. Fatty diet and alcohol use trigger the disease. Autoimmune pancreatitis is a disease that occurs as a result of the body's own immune system perceiving the pancreatic gland as a foreign body and trying to dissolve the gland. Pancreatic cancer occurs when malignant tumors that form in the pancreas and originate from the tissues of the pancreas become cancerous. These tumors can be caused by genetic factors, obesity, smoking and chronic pancreatic diseases.

What are the symptoms of pancreatic diseases?

Symptoms of pancreatic diseases may appear suddenly over time. Since this disease, which causes blood sugar and enzyme problems, affects the digestive system, its symptoms are problems in the digestive system. Symptoms include abdominal tenderness, diarrhea, bloating, abdominal pain, gas formation, weight loss, blurred vision and jaundice. Diagnosis and Treatment of Pancreatic Diseases It is possible to detect problems of the pancreas, which is difficult to physically examine, with radiological imaging, blood tests and stool tests. It is checked what symptoms the patient has.

Pancreatic disease can be diagnosed by computerized tomography, endoscopic ultrasound, MRI and, if cancer is present, by biopsy. Treatment varies depending on the type of pancreatic disease. If the disease develops due to nutrition and alcohol, alcohol use should be stopped and smoking should be stopped. Medicines that support the secretion of enzymes that the pancreas cannot secrete, painkillers and vitamin supplements can be used in the treatment. In cases of pancreatic problems that require surgery, removal of a portion of the pancreas or pancreas transplantation may be necessary. If our general surgeon deems it necessary after the diagnostic methods, he will contact our dietician and infection specialist and help you by arranging your treatment.