Steatosis of the pancreas: causes, symptoms and treatment

Throughout life, the human body is experiencing serious stress. He has to confront infectious agents and viruses, to fight the activity of pathogenic flora. There is a whole group of diseases, the development of which can be prevented. To do this, you need to eat right and stick to a healthy lifestyle. One of these ailments is steatosis. Causes, symptoms and methods of treatment of this disease will be presented to your attention in today's article.

Steatosis of the pancreas: what is it?

To answer this question, you need to delve into the anatomy of the digestive system. It is represented by several organs, among which pancreas deserves special attention. It has many functions:

• Participation in the process of digestion (production of enzymes necessary for this process).
• Regulation of the endocrine system (carbohydrate metabolism, insulin production).
• Reaction to pathological changes in the body.

The functioning of the basic systems of internal organs depends on the functioning of the pancreas. Its involvement in the pathological process necessarily affects the health of the whole organism.

Very often people who prefer harmful food develop steatosis of the pancreas. This is a serious disease, in which the cells of the body are replaced by fatty elements. Its main danger lies in the fact that at first obvious symptoms of the pathological process are absent. The patient may not know about health problems for many years.

What is the mechanism of development of this ailment? Under the influence of certain factors, the gland cells begin to die off. The immune system responds to this process. She begins to actively develop fat cells, which take up vacant places in the body. Due to this substitution, the form of the gland remains, but its primary functions are lost.

Five main causes of steatosis

The development of the disease can provoke:

1. Improper nutrition (eating salty, fatty or fried foods).
2. Harmful habits (smoking, drinking).
3. Acute or chronic form of cholecystitis.
4. Various pathological ailments of the gastrointestinal system.
5. Cholelithiasis.

Steatosis of the pancreas is sometimes hereditary. If close relatives were diagnosed with a disease, the likelihood of its appearance increases several times. The most prone to the pathological process in the pancreas are people of mature age. The risk group includes men and women over 60 years of age, as well as alcohol abusers.

The first symptoms

Steatosis of the pancreas for a long time was not considered a disease. At the initial stages of replacing healthy organ cells with fat, patients do not experience health problems. Relatively recently, doctors found that this state is not quite harmless. If you pay attention to the slightest changes in eating behavior, you can see the first signs of steatosis of the pancreas.

The disease begins its development with the appearance of heartburn after eating, flatulence and bloating. In addition, many patients note the occurrence of an allergic reaction to certain categories of products. When the pathological process spreads over large areas of the gland (more than 30% of its volume), the clinical picture is supplemented with new symptoms. Among them, it should be noted:

• A shingling pain under the chest that gives in the back.
• Constant weakness in the whole body.
• Lack of appetite
• Itching itch.

If the fatty elements have succeeded in replacing most of the organ, the patient has vomiting and other problems with the gastrointestinal tract. The pancreas can no longer cope with its functions, ceases to produce the necessary amount of enzymes. Only at this stage patients decide to seek help from a doctor.

Medical examination and diagnostics

If you suspect a steatosis of the pancreas, you should immediately go to an appointment with a gastroenterologist. Diagnosis of this disease begins with a patient's questioning. It is important for the doctor to know when exactly the ailment appeared, how the patient eats, whether he has bad habits. After studying the patient's anamnesis, he is referred for a comprehensive examination. It usually consists of the following procedures:

1. Ultrasound of the pancreas (allows to identify echogenic areas).
2. Analysis of blood (with steatosis the level of alpha-amylase exceeds normal values several times).
3. MRI of the organ (helps to exclude malignant neoplasms).
4. X-ray with the use of contrast (allows you to examine all the ducts of the body, their condition).

If after receiving the results of the examination the doctor doubts the preliminary diagnosis, laparoscopy with biopsy is additionally assigned. With the help of this study, you can accurately say whether the pancreas is healthy, and also determine the type of lesion.

Depending on the volume of cells involved in the pathological process, two types of disease are distinguished: focal and diffuse. The first type is manifested by individual fat deposits. Diffuse steatosis of the pancreas affects the entire organ, so pathological infiltrates are visualized in all tissues. After confirming the diagnosis, the doctor prescribes treatment. It can be both medicamental and operative.

Conservative methods of therapy

The severity of the disease determines the tactics of treatment. With a minor lesion, when the organ remains able to function fully, therapy is limited to taking medication and following a diet. How to treat the pancreas? To normalize the functioning of the GIT system, the following drugs are prescribed:

• Enzymes ("Creon", "Digestal", "Festal"). Their use helps to fill the lack of substances that help the process of digesting food.
• Inhibitors of the proton pump ("Omeprazole" "Lansoprazole"). Long-term use of drugs can reduce the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
• Suction blockers ("Xenical", "Ideal"). The main effect of these drugs is to accelerate the removal of fats from the intestine.

Drug treatment, including dosage of drugs and the duration of their intake, is selected individually.

Basic principles of diet

It is not possible to completely cure the disease. Damaged organ elements can not be replaced by healthy cells. Can I stop steatosis of the pancreas? To slow down further progression of the disease, it is necessary to adhere to a strict diet for about three months.

Patients are recommended to include in their diet lean meat and fish, cottage cheese, skimmed dairy products, as well as fruits and vegetables. However, we will have to give up alcoholic drinks, sweet and flour. Sharp and fatty foods also fall under the ban. The diet with steatosis implies compliance with certain rules:

1. To eat it is necessary in small and small portions (5-6 times a day).
2. It is strictly forbidden to reduce the calorie content of the diet (at least 2600-2800 kcal per day).
3. All products should preferably be cooked in a double boiler or baked in an oven.

Without observing the principles listed above, it is impossible to stop steatosis of the pancreas. Diet together with drug therapy allows to achieve a positive result in the fight against this disease, to avoid surgical intervention.

Surgical treatment of steatosis

Surgical treatment involves the operation, during which the doctor removes the lipomatous nodes. These neoplasms can squeeze the intrasecretory ducts and cells of the organ. Intervention is carried out using general anesthesia. The procedure itself is usually performed endoscopically. To help the surgical intervention is not resorted to in every case. The operation is justified if there are large fat accumulations in the volume that prevent a complete outflow of the secretion of the gland.

Home Treatment

Know how to treat the pancreas, and people's doctors know. The easiest way to stop unpleasant symptoms is to cook oatmeal jelly. For its preparation, it is necessary to pour half a pack of "Hercules" with boiled water and leave in a warm place. The liquid should cover all the flakes. After two days, the mass should be filtered, and the thick should be discarded. Kissel is cooked until ready, or rather, before the bubbles appear on its surface. The resulting product must be poured into cups and put into the refrigerator. Every morning on an empty stomach you need to consume one such serving of jelly.

Methods of prevention

Steatosis of the pancreas: what is it? A similar question now arises in many people. After reading this article, you can realize the full danger of this disease. Is it possible to prevent its occurrence?

Prevention of steatosis consists of two areas: the treatment of diseases that could provoke its development, and the rejection of addictions. The whole point is that smoking and the abuse of alcoholic beverages negatively affect the state of the pancreas. In order to avoid the disease, the following recommendations should additionally be observed:

• Regularly undergo preventive examinations with doctors.
• To monitor the diet, not to allow the development of obesity.
• Adhere to an active lifestyle, play sports.
• Avoid stressful situations.

Everyone should know what has the steatosis of the pancreas symptoms. Treatment, conducted at an early stage of the disease, is almost always characterized by positive dynamics. If the patient adheres to a strict diet and takes the pill, he has every chance to slow the course of the ailment. Otherwise, serious surgical intervention will be required. However, its results can not be foreseen.