moderate acute pancreatitis

Last reviewed 01/2018

The patient with moderate acute pancreatitis has a distended and diffusely tender abdomen with some guarding. After 12 to 24 hours, bowel sounds are absent due to an inflammatory ileus but hypovolaemia is less than in a severe attack and tachycardia may be the only systemic sign.

There may be mild jaundice due to periampullary oedema.