- Pancreatitis is diagnosed by a combination of clinical features (epigastric pain with radiation to back, nausea/vomiting etc) and diagnostic tests (lipase 3x normal, CT scan)
- A RUQ US should be performed looking for gallstones as this finding significantly alters management
- The focus of management is on supportive care. IV fluids, while central to therapy, should be given judiciously and titrated to end organ perfusion
- BISAP Score (Wu 2008, Papachristou 2010) is a clinical score used to predict mortality from pancreatitis.
- Patients with mild pancreatitis who are tolerating oral intake and can reliably follow up, can be discharged home
