What Is Pancreatitis ? Pancreatitis is the inflammatory condition of the digestive gland pancreas.

The glandular organ called pancreas is a 5 inch-long, leaf-shaped, fleshy structure which lies between the stomach, and the first part of the intestine called duodenum. It has endocrine and exocrine functions, producing both hormones and digestive enzymes.

The three main functions of pancreas are:

• Secretion of digestive enzymes into the small intestine
• Secretion of sodium bicarbonate in large amounts for the neutralization of stomach acids entering into the small intestine
• Secretion of hormones glucagon and insulin necessary for the regulation of blood sugar.

There may be several reasons for developing pancreatitis including viral infections and gall stones. The action of alcohol, certain drugs, as well as digestive enzymes, may precipitate pancreatitis. Usually, acute pancreatitis develops suddenly and resolves after a few days of inflammation, but if the condition persists over a long period of time, causing steady damage to the pancreas, the condition is referred to as chronic pancreatitis.

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Yasser Elnahas

MD, PHD, Professor Of CardioVascular Surgery

Dr. Yasser Elnahas, Is an associate Professor of Cardiovascular Surgery. Dr. Elnahas was trained as a fellow At Texas Heart Institute And Mayo Clinic Foundation.Dr. Elnahas is dedicated to educating the general public about different disease conditions and simplifying the medical knowledge in an easy to understand terminology.

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