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We will briefly outline the management of patients with acute pancreatitis from the time of diagnosis in the emergency ward to ongoing hospital admission and, finally, to time of discharge, highlighting salient features based on severity and complications. It is important to note that 85–90% of cases of acute pancreatitis are self-limited and subside spontaneously, usually within 3–7 days after initiation of treatment, and do not exhibit organ failure or local complications.
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The management of acute pancreatitis begins in the emergency ward. After a diagnosis has been confirmed, aggressive fluid resuscitation is initiated, intravenous analgesics are administered, severity is assessed, and a search for etiologies that may impact acute care is begun. Patients who do not respond to aggressive fluid resuscitation in the emergency ward should be considered for admission to a step-down or intensive care unit for aggressive fluid resuscitation, hemodynamic monitoring, and management of necrosis or organ failure.
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FLUID RESUSCITATION AND MONITORING RESPONSE TO THERAPY IN ACUTE PANCREATITIS
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The most important treatment intervention for acute pancreatitis is safe, aggressive intravenous fluid resuscitation. The patient is made NPO to rest the pancreas and is given intravenous narcotic analgesics to control abdominal pain and supplemental oxygen (2 L) via nasal cannula.
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Intravenous fluids of lactated Ringer’s or normal saline are initially bolused at 15–20 mL/kg (1050–1400 mL), followed by 2–3 mL/kg per hour (200–250 mL/h), to maintain urine output >0.5 mL/kg per hour. Serial bedside evaluations are required every 6–8 h to assess vital signs, oxygen saturation, and change in physical examination to optimize fluid resuscitation. Lactated Ringer’s solution has been shown to decrease systemic inflammation (lower CRP levels from admission) and may be a better crystalloid than normal saline. A targeted resuscitation strategy with measurement of hematocrit and BUN every 8–12 h is recommended to ensure adequacy of fluid resuscitation and monitor response to therapy, noting less aggressive resuscitation strategy may be needed in milder forms of pancreatitis. A rising BUN during hospitalization is not only associated with inadequate hydration but also higher in-hospital mortality.
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A decrease in hematocrit and BUN during the first 12–24 h is strong evidence that sufficient fluids are being administered. Serial measurements and bedside assessment for fluid overload are continued, and fluid rates are maintained at the current rate. Adjustments in fluid resuscitation may be required in patients with cardiac, pulmonary, or renal disease. A rise in hematocrit or BUN during serial measurement should be treated with a repeat volume challenge with a 2-L crystalloid bolus followed by increasing the fluid rate by 1.5 mg/kg per hour. If the BUN or hematocrit fails to respond (i.e., remains elevated or does not decrease) to this bolus challenge and increase in fluid rate, consideration of transfer to an intensive care unit is strongly recommended for hemodynamic monitoring.
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ASSESSMENT OF SEVERITY AND HOSPITAL TRIAGE IN ACUTE PANCREATITIS
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