Pancreatitis Center - Waterloo, IA
Waterloo Gastroenterologist Doctors for PancreatitisType of Physician: Gastroenterologist What is a Gastroenterologist? A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners focus on the stomach, intestines, colon, liver, and gallbladder (digestive organs). The gastroenterologist treats conditions such as abdominal pain, ulcers, diarrhea, cancer, and jaundice and they consult with surgeons when abdominal operations are indicated. Specialty: Gastroenterology Common Name: GI Doctor Gastroenterologist Doctors in Waterloo * Covenant Clinic Waterloo  Suresh K Reddy & Ravi Mallavarapu MDs  Suresh K Reddy & Ravi Mallavarapu MDs  Covenant Health Clinic Cedar Falls  Internists PC  Gastroenterologists PC  Gastroenterologists PC  Gastroenterologists PC  Gastroenterologists PC  Gastroenterologists PC  Gastroenterologists PC  Mason City Clinic GI  Mason City Clinic GI  Center for Digestive Diseases  Center for Digestive Diseases  Gastroenterology Associates of Iowa City PC  Gastroenterology Associates of Iowa City PC  Gastroenterology Associates of Iowa City PC  Gastroenterology Associates of Iowa City PC  McFarland Clinic Gastroenterology  McFarland Clinic Gastroenterology  McFarland Clinic Gastroenterology  McFarland Clinic Gastroenterology  McFarland Clinic Gastroenterology Waterloo, IowaUpcoming Local Events2012-06-17
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PancreatitisRead the Pancreatitis article » What is pancreatitis?Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas. The pancreas is a large gland behind the stomach and close to the duodenum - the first part of the small intestine. The pancreas secretes digestive juices, or enzymes, into the duodenum through a tube called the pancreatic duct. Pancreatic enzymes join with bile - a liquid produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder - to digest food. The pancreas also releases the hormones insulin and glucagon into the bloodstream. These hormones help the body regulate the glucose it takes from food for energy. Normally, digestive enzymes secreted by the pancreas do not become active until they reach the small intestine. But when the pancreas is inflamed, the enzymes inside it attack and damage the tissues that produce them. Pancreatitis can be acute or chronic. Either form is serious and can lead to complications. In severe cases, bleeding, infection, and permanent tissue damage may occur. Both forms of pancreatitis occur more often in men than women.
What are the causes of acute pancreatitis?Acute pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas that occurs suddenly and usually resolves in a few days with treatment. Acute pancreatitis can be a life-threatening illness with severe complications. Each year, about 210,000 people in the United States are admitted to the hospital with acute pancreatitis.1 The most common cause of acute pancreatitis is the presence of gallstones - small, pebble-like substances made of hardened bile - that cause inflammation in the pancreas as they pass through the common bile duct. Chronic, heavy alcohol use is also a common cause. Acute pancreatitis can occur within hours or as long as 2 days after consuming alcohol. Other causes of acute pancreatitis include abdominal trauma, medications, infections, tumors, and genetic abnormalities of the pancreas. What...Recommended Reading Related to PancreatitisWhat is the pancreas?The pancreas is an organ approximately six inches long that is located in the abdomen behind the stomach. The pancreas is divided into three regions; the head, the body, and the tail. The head of the pancreas is located in the right abdomen adjacent to the duodenum, the tail is in the left abdomen, and the body lies between the head and the tail.
The pancreas makes several hormones that are released into the blood--including insulin to regulate blood glucose levels (see the Diabetes Mellitus article)-as well as digestive enzymes that aid in the digestion of food, for example, amylase. The digestive enzymes produced by the pancreas are combined in a bicarbonate-rich fluid also produced by the pancreas. The pancreatic duct within the pancreas collects the bicarbonate-rich fluid and digestive enzymes and drains them into the duodenum, the first part of... Other Related Pancreatitis ArticlesEmergency Contact for Waterloo
Nearby Waterloo Hospitals *Covenant Medical Center Allen Memorial Hospital Sartori Memorial Hospital Waverly Health Center Mental Health Institute Grundy County Memorial Hospital Buchanan County Health Center Mercy Hospital Oelwein Community Memorial Hospital Virginia Gay Hospital Featured Articles*Provider Directory Terms of Use: The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval. |
Suggested Reading on Pancreatitis by Our Doctors
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The Digestive System
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Pancreatic Cysts
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