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Biliary and pancreatic diseases affect the bile ducts, gallbladder, and pancreas—important parts of your digestive system that help with breaking down fats and regulating blood sugar. When there is a blockage, inflammation, or damage to these areas, it can lead to serious health issues such as pancreatitis, gallstones, and bile duct infections.
There are several factors that can contribute to the development of biliary and pancreatic diseases, including:
Solid particles that form in the gallbladder and block the bile ducts.
Long-term heavy drinking can damage the pancreas, leading to pancreatitis.
Bacterial or viral infections can cause inflammation of the bile ducts or pancreas.
Growths in the pancreas or bile ducts can block normal function.
These diseases cause your immune system to mistakenly attack healthy tissues, including the pancreas.
While anyone can develop biliary or pancreatic issues, certain factors increase your risk:
People over 50 are more likely to experience these conditions.
Excess weight puts strain on the bile ducts and pancreas.
If you have relatives with gallstones, pancreatitis, or other related conditions, your risk increases.
Excessive drinking is a leading cause of pancreatitis.
Eating a diet rich in fats can lead to gallstones and other bile-related issues.
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To test for pancreatic diseases, doctors will generally use blood tests to detect enzyme levels in the blood stream. Diagnostic imaging and biopsies are also possibilities. Generally, if there is a problem with the pancreas, it is one of the common conditions listed below.
Diabetes occurs when the pancreas fails to produce the amount of insulin necessary to digest food and manage blood sugars safely. This leads the body’s blood sugar levels start to rise, which is known as a medical condition called hyperglycemia. Symptoms of hyperglycemia include:
Acute pancreatitis is a single occurrence (or multiple, infrequent occurrences) of an inflammation of the pancreas. This can be caused by trauma, drinking too much alcohol, medication, or another disease. Acute pancreatitis is still to be taken seriously, and can result in anything from general pain to death. It can also damage other organs. Getting the proper treatment immediately is very important.
Usually afflicting middle-aged men, chronic pancreatitis, understandably, has similar symptoms to acute pancreatitis. However, the attacks will happen more often, and last longer. Generally, this disease is caused by alcohol consumption. Over-consumption of alcohol can cause inflammation of the pancreas, resulting in possible permanent damage.
Pancreatic cancer is divided into two distinct types; exocrine pancreatic cancer and endocrine pancreatic cancer Each of these unique categorizations is associated with slightly different symptoms, risks, and are diagnostic processes. Exocrine tumors are more common than endocrine, but both present very urgent risks to patients.
Symptoms should be expected to vary based on the specific type of pancreatic cancer the patient encounters. Pancreatic cancer generally does not show symptoms in its early stages, which is why it is very important to be regularly screened. People with later-stages of pancreatic cancer may experience pain in the abdomen and lower-middle back, loss of appetite, brown urine, or jaundice.
At GI Solutions, we offer a wide range of treatment options, tailored to the type and severity of your condition:
To manage pain, treat infections, and reduce inflammation.
Minimally invasive techniques such as ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography) are used to remove blockages or examine the bile ducts and pancreas.
In more severe cases, surgery may be necessary to remove gallstones, tumors, or damaged tissue.
Adjustments to your diet and alcohol consumption can improve outcomes and prevent recurrence.
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