My friend is in a hospital in Toronto with gallstone-induced pancreatitis. He has suffered a number of setbacks and does not seem to be recovering. Now, at the specialist's recommendation, he has been put into a drug-induced coma. The situation sounds very dire. It's difficult to answer your questions without fully knowing your friend's health history and medical condition.
Acute pancreatitis can cause death.
It sounds like your friend must be on a respirator, which is a form of life support. In some cases, if a patient is fighting the respirator, the doctor will try a drug-induced coma to allow the body to rest and accept the assistance it needs. It does sound like your friend's condition is quite serious. Usually, removal of the gallbladder and clearing out the duct are the main treatments for acute pancreatitis. 882-7000 to make an appointment with a University of Missouri Health Sciences Center physician.