hepatobiliary

Question 1

What are the main causes of acute pancreatitis

Answer 1

the two main causes are gallstones (most common) and alcohol

I GET SMASHED for most causes

Question 2

signs of acute pancreatitis

Answer 2

upper abdominal pain (and guarding), ab distension, jaundice, cullens sign (periumbilical bleeding), Grey Turners’ syndrome, Fox’s sign

Question 3

symptoms of acute pancreatitis

Answer 3

severe upper ab pain, nausea vomiting and anorexia, steatorrhea, poor urinary output

Question 4

diagnostic investigations of acute pancreatitis

Answer 4

serum amylase (amylase rises faster than lipase but also levels fall faster within 24-48hrs; less specific than lipase; isnotof prognostic value), serum lipase (more specific for acute pancreatitis; levels rise slower than amylase but have a longer half-life)

Question 5

Genes associated with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis

Answer 5

HLA-A1, B8 and DR3

Question 6

Effects of PSC

Answer 6

damage to the bile ducts leads to cholestasis, bile and toxin build up in the liver, bile duct strictures. These lead to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis and progression to end-stage liver disease.