Approximately 80% of all cases of acute pancreatitis are mild and only require supportive care for pain and nausea control and an adequate fluid replacement. Currently, all patients in our setting diagnosed with mild acute pancreatitis are admitted to a conventional hospitalization ward under the supervision of the Digestive and General Surgery Department or the Gastroenterology Department. Symptomatic treatment is administered, and abdominal ultrasound is performed to assess the cause of pancreatic inflammation. The remaining 20% fulfill the severity criteria from its onset onwards and require intensive care support.~We will conduct a multicenter randomized controlled clinical trial to compare two different approaches to mild non-alcoholic acute pancreatitis: hospital admission and outpatient management.
Acute pancreatitis accounts for a large number of hospital admissions every year. Some studies have shown that early oral feeding protocols are safe, and one previous study suggests the possibility of home care for mild acute pancreatitis.