OLLI Workshop: Pancreatitis

PANCREATITIS
OLLI hosts Rajiv Sharma, MD.
Cost: Free
The most common cause of acute pancreatitis is stones in the gallbladder. Gallstones pass through the common bile duct to enter the small intestine. At the entry of the small intestine, the main pancreatic duct joins or lies immediately next to the common bile duct. It is believed that stones that get stuck in the common bile duct impinge on the main pancreatic duct, causing an obstruction of the normal flow of pancreatic fluid and leading to pancreatic injury. Another way that a stone can cause pancreatitis is by causing a back
flow of bile into the pancreatic duct, resulting in pancreatic injury. Dr. Sharma will discuss the anatomy of the pancreas and explain why pancreas and gallstones disease can be mistaken for IBS. He will also give helpful tools to assist you in talking to your doctor about your issues and concerns.