Outlook

Most people with acute pancreatitis recover completely from their illness. The pancreas returns to normal with no long-term effects. Pancreatitis may return, however, if the underlying cause is not eliminated.

Some 5%-10% of people develop life-threatening pancreatitis and may be left with any of these chronic illnesses or even die due to complications of pancreatitis:

• Kidney failure
  
  
• Breathing difficulties
  
  
• Diabetes
  
  
• Brain damage

Chronic pancreatitis does not resolve completely between attacks. Although the symptoms may be similar to those of acute pancreatitis, chronic pancreatitis is a much more serious condition because damage to the pancreas is an ongoing process. This ongoing damage can have any of the following complications:

• Bleeding in or around the pancreas: Ongoing inflammation and damage to the blood vessels surrounding the pancreas can lead to bleeding. Fast bleeding can be a life-threatening condition. Slow bleeding usually leads to low blood count (anemia).
  
  
• Infection: Ongoing inflammation makes the tissue vulnerable to infection. The infection can form an abscess that is very difficult to treat without surgery.
  
  
• Pseudocysts: Small fluid-filled sacs can form in the pancreas. These sacs can become infected or rupture into the lower abdominal cavity (peritoneum), causing a serious infection called peritonitis.
  
  
• Breathing problems: The chemical changes in the body can affect the lungs. The effect is to reduce the amount of oxygen the lungs can absorb from the air a person breathes. The level of oxygen in the blood drops to lower than normal (hypoxia).
  
  
• Pancreas failure: The pancreas may become so severely damaged that it is unable to carry out its normal functions. Digestion of food and regulation of blood sugar - both very important functions - are affected. Diabetes and weight loss often result.
  
  
• Pancreatic cancer: Chronic pancreatitis can encourage the growth of abnormal cells in the pancreas, which can become cancer. The prognosis for pancreatic cancer is very poor.

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