Pancreas

Pancreas

The pancreas is an abdominal organ that is located behind the stomach and is surrounded by other organs, including the spleen, liver and small intestine. The pancreas is about 6 inches (15.24 centimeters) long, oblong and flat. 

The pancreas plays an important role in digestion and in regulating blood sugar. Three diseases associated with the pancreas are pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer and diabetes.

Function 

The pancreas serves two primary functions, according to Jordan Knowlton, an advanced registered nurse practitioner at the University of Florida Health Shands Hospital. It makes "enzymes to digest proteins, fats, and carbs in the intestines" and produces the hormones insulin and glucagon, he said.

Dr. Richard Bowen of Colorado State University's Department of Biomedical Sciences wrote in Hypertexts for Pathophysiology: Endocrine System, "A well-known effect of insulin is to decrease the concentration of glucose in blood." This lowers blood sugar levels and allows the body's cells to use glucose for energy. 

Insulin also allows glucose to enter muscle and other tissue, works with the liver to store glucose and synthesize fatty acids, and "stimulates the uptake of amino acids," according to Bowen. Insulin is released after eating protein and especially after eating carbohydrates, which increase glucose levels in the blood. If the pancreas does not produce sufficient insulin, type 1 diabetes will develop.

Unlike insulin, glucagon raises blood sugar levels. According to the Johns Hopkins University Sol Goldman Pancreatic Cancer Research Center, the combination of insulin and glucagon maintains the proper level of sugar in the blood.

Location of the pancreas

"The pancreas is located in the upper abdomen behind the stomach," Knowlton said. The right end of the pancreas is wide and called the head. From the head, the organ tapers to the left. The middle sections are called the neck and body, while the narrow end on the left side of the body is called the tail. 

The Hume-Lee Transplant Center at Virginia Commonwealth University described the pancreas as "j-shaped." The portion of the pancreas called the uncinate process bends backward from the head and underneath the body, according to the Pancreatic  vancer action   Network .

Pancreas pain

Intense pancreatic pain is usually associated with acute pancreatitis. It can be hard to identify pancreas pain and evaluate pancreas diseases because the organ sits deep in the abdomen, according to The National Pancreas Association. Other signs that the pain may be pancreatic include jaundice, itchy skin and unexplained weight loss. If you are experiencing pancreas pain,

 defines pancreatitis as inflammation of the pancreas, happening when "digestive enzymes start digesting the pancreas itself." It can be acute or chronic, but both forms should be taken seriously and may lead to additional health problems.

Chronic pancreatitis

There are up to 23 cases of chronic pancreatitis per 100,000 people per year worldwide. In just the United States, it results in more than 122,000 outpatient visits and more than 56,000 hospitalizations per year, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

"Chronic pancreatitis is a persistent inflammation (greater than three weeks) of the pancreas that causes permanent damage," Knowlton said. The condition is often caused by "heavy, ongoing" alcohol consumption, but she added that there are other causes, including "those that cause acute pancreatitis attacks." Other causes may be cystic fibrosis, high levels of calcium or fat in the blood and autoimmune disorders.

Symptoms include upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and oily stools. According to Peter Lee and Tyler Stevens, in an article for the Cleveland  Clinic , "clinically apparent" oily stools (steatorrhea) do not appear until "90 percent of pancreatic function has been lost."

Location of the pancreas

"The pancreas is located in the upper abdomen behind the stomach," Knowlton said. The right end of the pancreas is wide and called the head. From the head, the organ tapers to the left. The middle sections are called the neck and body, while the narrow end on the left side of the body is called the tail. 

The Hume-Lee Transplant Center at Virginia Commonwealth University described the pancreas as "j-shaped." The portion of the pancreas called the uncinate process bends backward from the head and underneath the body, according to the Pancreatic cancer action  Network .

Pancreas pain

Intense pancreatic pain is usually associated with acute pancreatitis. It can be hard to identify pancreas pain and evaluate pancreas diseases because the organ sits deep in the abdomen, according to The national Pancreas  Association. Other signs that the pain may be pancreatic include jaundice, itchy skin and unexplained weight loss. If you are experiencing pancreas pain, consult your doctor.

Pancreatitis

The National institute of  Health  defines pancreatitis as inflammation of the pancreas, happening when "digestive enzymes start digesting the pancreas itself." It can be acute or chronic, but both forms should be taken seriously and may lead to additional health problems.

Chronic pancreatitis

There are up to 23 cases of chronic pancreatitis per 100,000 people per year worldwide. In just the United States, it results in more than 122,000 outpatient visits and more than 56,000 hospitalizations per year, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

"Chronic pancreatitis is a persistent inflammation (greater than three weeks) of the pancreas that causes permanent damage," Knowlton said. The condition is often caused by "heavy, ongoing" alcohol consumption, but she added that there are other causes, including "those that cause acute pancreatitis attacks." Other causes may be cystic fibrosis, high levels of calcium or fat in the blood and autoimmune disorders.

Symptoms include upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and oily stools. According to Peter Lee and Tyler Stevens, in an article for the Cleveland  Clinic , "clinically apparent" oily stools (steatorrhea) do not appear until "90 percent of pancreatic function has been lost."

Artificial pancreas

When a person's pancreas isn't functioning properly or has to be removed, doctors may replace or supplement it with an artificial pancreas. These devices that automatically monitor blood glucose and provide the appropriate insulin doses are often called closed-loop systems, automated insulin delivery systems, or autonomous systems for glycemic control, according to the Food  and   Administration . 

In a 2014 study published in the journal The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, researchers found that an artificial pancreas offer people with type 1 diabetes a reliable way to keep glucose levels in check, when compared to other treatments. "Our study confirms that both artificial pancreas systems improve glucose control and reduce the risk of hypoglycemia compared to conventional pump therapy," study author Ahmad Haidar, of Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montreal, said in a statement