Chronic pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease in which progressive and irreversible structural changes to the pancreas result in a permanent impairment of both the exocrine and endocrine functions. Because of the lack of normal pancreatic enzymes, digestion of food and the production of wastes are adversely affected.
Abdominal pain is common, especially after eating.
Stools become bulky, greasy, foul smelling and tend to float in the water because of their high fat content - a condition known as steatorrhea. The formation of stones in the pancreas is also common. For persons with disabling symptoms, however, treatment is indicated. Treatment may consist of medications and possibly surgery. This MediFocus Guide contains an extensive listing of citations and abstracts of recent journal articles that have been published about this condition in trustworthy medical journals.