Acute pancreatitis is one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases requiring acute hospital admission. Gallstones (50%) and alcohol (20%) are the most frequent underlying causes. Medication, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreaticography (ERCP), hypercalciemia, hypertriglyceridaemia, autoimmune pancratitis, infection, genetic mutations and trauma are responsible for the remaining 30%. In most patients, the disease has a mild and self-limiting course, but in approximately 20% moderate or severe pancreatitis develops, with (peri)pancreatic necrosis, organ failure, formation of collections, infectious complications and a substantial mortality.
