Acute Pancreatitis: The Queensland Scene

Abstract

One hundred patients suffering from acute pancreatitls and studied in two large teachlng hospitals in Brisbane between 1959 and 1973 were reviewed. Gallstones were present in 43 patients (of whom 31 were female), and a history of alcoholic excess was elicited i n 23. Sixty-three patients were aged over 50 years. Characteristic clinical features included spreading epigastric pain with radiation to either o f the upper quadrants of the abdomen. Left-sided upper abdominal peritonitis associated with severe repetitive vomiting was suggestive of the dlagn'osis. The serum amylase level in most cases fell below t h e arbitrary diagnostic level of 500 Somogyi unIts/100 m l within 72 hours of the onset of the pain. Acute hzmorrhaglc necrosis o f the pancreas was positively diagnosed in 15 patients, six of whom died. Tho 'overall mortality rate in the series was 9%. THE Eetiology and natural history of acute pancreatitis have been the subject of a number of recent Australian studies (Boyer and Mackay, 1960; Hennessy, 1965 : Corlett et alii,

Etiological Factors of Non Alcohol Non Gallstone Related Acute Pancreatitis: A Cross sectional hospital based study from Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal

“…This has also been seen in a series by Raj et al at Kelantan in Malaysia and Kandasami P et al, where peak incidence was seen in the third decade and fourth decade respectively 14,15 . Though, in another retrospective study done by Battersby C and Chapuis P in Queensland, Australia showed 63 % patients were more than 50 yrs 16 . According to the gender, 19 patients were males 63.33 % and 11 subjects were females 36.6 %.…”

Acute Pancreatitis

“…In Bennett's series,6 gall-bladder disease was found in 14% of patients, although a much higher incidence was noted in a Queensland survey. 9 Postoperative pancreatitis following abdominal surgery accounts for 1-6% cases of acute pancreatitis. Delay and difficulty in making the diagnosis because of wound pain and tenderness results in a higher mortality than in other forms of acute pancreatitis.…”