Dr. Lee was born in Shanghai, China, and received his college and medical training in the United States. He is fluent in English and three Chinese dialects. He graduated with chemistry departmental honors from Harvey Mudd College. He was appointed president of AOA society at UCLA School of Medicine. He underwent internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship training at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.
Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
The symptoms of pancreatic cysts depend on their size and location. Small
(less than two cm) cysts usually cause no symptoms. Large pancreatic cysts can
cause abdominal pain and back
pain presumably by putting pressure on surrounding tissues and nerves. Large
cysts in the head of the pancreas also may cause jaundice (yellowing of the skin
and eyes with darkening of urine
color) due to obstruction of the common duct. Obstruction causes bile to back up
and forces
bilirubin (the chemical that
produces jaundice) back into
the bloodstream.
On rare occasions, acute
pancreatitis can cause the formation of large pseudocysts that can compress
the stomach or the duodenum leading to obstruction to flow within the
intestines, abdominal pain and vomiting. These cysts also may become infected
and lead to fever, chills,
and sepsis.
What are the different causes and types of
pancreatic cysts?
There are two major types of pancreatic cysts; inflammatory cysts and
noninflammatory cysts. Inflammatory cysts are benign, whereas noninflammatory
cysts can be benign, precancerous, or cancerous.
Inflammatory cysts
Most of the inflammatory cysts of the pancreas are pancreatic pseudocysts.
Pseudocysts of the pancreas result from pancreatitis (inflammation of the
pancreas). The common causes of pancreatitis include
alcoholism,
gallstones,
trauma, or surgery. The
fluid inside the pseudocysts represents liquefied dead pancreatic tissue, cells
of inflammation, and a high concentration of digestive enzymes (for example,
amylase). Most pseudocysts caused by acute pancreatitis resolve spontaneously
(without treatment) within several weeks. Pseudocysts that need treatment are
those that persist beyond six weeks and are causing symptoms such as pain,
obstruction of the stomach or duodenum, or become infected.
Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
Gallstones are stones that form when substances in the bile harden. Gallstones (formed in the gallbladder) can be as small as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. There can be just one large stone, hundreds of tiny stones, or any combination. The majority of gallstones do not cause symptoms.
Pancreatic cancer is a malignant tumor of the pancreas. Pancreatic cancer has been called a "silent" disease because early pancreatic cancer usually does not cause symptoms.
Cysts are saclike structures that can occur throughout the body and usually contain a semisolid, liquid, or gaseous substance. Infections, tumors, genetic conditions, chronic inflammatory conditions, and wear and tear can cause cysts. Though some cysts may be palpable, others may not produce any symptoms. Treatment depends upon the location and cause of the cyst.
Pancreatitis is a rare disease in which the pancreas becomes inflamed, occurring when digestive enzymes are activated and begin attacking the pancreas causing damage to the gland. There are two types of pancreatitis, acute and chronic. Most commonly caused by alcohol or gallstones, it can lead to bleeding in the gland, serious tissue damage, infection, and cysts. Enzymes and toxins may then enter the bloodstream and seriously injure organs, such as the heart, lungs, and kidney.
Jaundice is a yellowish staining of the skin and whites of the eyes (sclerae) with bilirubin, the pigment found in bile. Jaundice can be an indicator of liver or gallbladder disease, or it may result from the rupture of red blood cells (hemolysis).
Alcoholism is a disease that includes alcohol craving and continued drinking despite repeated alcohol-related problems, such as losing a job or getting into trouble with the law.
Stool color is generally brown. When stool color changes, often, an individual becomes concerned. The presence of the bilirubin in bile is generally responsible for stool color. Bilirubin concentration can vary bile color from light yellow to almost black in color. Changes in bilirubin can cause stool to turn green, gray, or clay-like in color. Intestinal bleeding may turn stool black, tarry, red, maroon, or smelly stool. Medication and food may also affect stool color.
Cushing's syndrome, sometimes referred to as hypercortisolism, is a hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of the hormone cortisol. Symptoms may include obesity, thinning arms and legs, a rounded face, and increased fat around the neck. Some causes of Cushing's syndrome is from taking glucocorticoid hormones such as prednisone for inflammatory diseases. Treatment for Cushing's syndrome depends on the cause.
Pleural effusion is an excess fluid between the two membranes that envelop the lungs. There are two classifications of causes of pleural effusion; transudate and exudate. The treatment of pleural effusion depends on the cause.
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is characterized by numerous cysts in the kidneys. Polycystic kidney disease is a genetic disorder. There are two major inherited forms of PKD, autosomal dominant PKD, and autosomal recessive PKD. Symptoms include headaches, urinary tract infections, blood in the urine, liver and pancreatic cysts, abnormal heart valves, high blood pressure, kidney stones, aneurysms, and diverticulosis. Diagnosis of PKD is generally with ultrasound, CT or MRI scan. There is no cure for PKD, so treatment of symptoms is usually the general protocol.
Digestion RSS
Healthy Living Tips
This site complies with the