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Having Acute Pancreatitis, Fluid In Lungs And Breathing Problems. On Ventilator. Suggest The Cure?
Question: My mom was admitted to the hospital for acute pancreatitis severe though in two days she is in the icu she has fluid in the lungs and had breathing problems now she on a breathing ventillor can she recover is their any possibility the docs say that she will be on the machine and they will see what to do next please advise me she is 57 never smoked or drank in her life why is this happening they say the pancreatitis is cause of gallstones
Brief Answer:
Gallstones is just one of the causes
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for posting on XXXXXXX
Your mother is suffering from complicated pancreatitis with pleurisy. To answer your question, it is possible that your mother can recover and I will be XXXXXXX with you about this. It will be hard to tell if she can recover from her state but the possibilities are there and if the fluids in the lungs are not abundant (or even if abundant and drained) she can recover faster. Her prognosis will depend on how well she is treated. The fluid in her lungs need to be drained through medications or surgically.
Even though alcohol and gallstones are the most likely causes of pancreatitis but they are not the only causes. Others are autoimmune problems (when the immune system attacks the body), blockage of the pancreatic duct or common bile duct, the tubes that drain enzymes from the pancreas, high blood levels of a fat called triglycerides (hypertriglyceridemia), possible injury to the pancreas from an accident, use of certain medications and other rare diseases conditions.
Treatment at this point will be providing limited fluids to her as much as possible while maintaining IV fluids, it is wise not to continue giving anything through the mouth.
Through doing some scans, the cause can be determined and maybe an emergency surgical intervention can be performed to undo the main cause (if detected).
Hope this helps and wish you both the best.
Dr. Nsah
Gallstones is just one of the causes
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for posting on XXXXXXX
Your mother is suffering from complicated pancreatitis with pleurisy. To answer your question, it is possible that your mother can recover and I will be XXXXXXX with you about this. It will be hard to tell if she can recover from her state but the possibilities are there and if the fluids in the lungs are not abundant (or even if abundant and drained) she can recover faster. Her prognosis will depend on how well she is treated. The fluid in her lungs need to be drained through medications or surgically.
Even though alcohol and gallstones are the most likely causes of pancreatitis but they are not the only causes. Others are autoimmune problems (when the immune system attacks the body), blockage of the pancreatic duct or common bile duct, the tubes that drain enzymes from the pancreas, high blood levels of a fat called triglycerides (hypertriglyceridemia), possible injury to the pancreas from an accident, use of certain medications and other rare diseases conditions.
Treatment at this point will be providing limited fluids to her as much as possible while maintaining IV fluids, it is wise not to continue giving anything through the mouth.
Through doing some scans, the cause can be determined and maybe an emergency surgical intervention can be performed to undo the main cause (if detected).
Hope this helps and wish you both the best.
Dr. Nsah
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I still don't understand will she have more complications cause I read she can now have renal and kidney failure she is not healing its been two days and her complications are getting worse do people recover from severe acute pancreatitis biliary at this stage snd what are the chances please advise I'm so worried
Brief Answer:
Yes people do recover
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
People do recover but chances are 50/50. The condition can get worst as well as can get better. As I said, the cause needs to be identified urgently (it might require surgical intervention). Most surgeons do not usually want to attempt an operation with a critical ill patient. If they are unsure of the cause, they wouldn't do much with her condition besides giving her life-support.
Acute pancreatitis when severe usually comes with high mortality. If she has survived for two days, then I believe she can recover.
Do not loose hope and have faith in her doctors to do the best and if it comes to the worst, do accept the situation.
I would not be able to tell per say in your mother's own situation, but complicated acute pancreatitis is a serious life-threatening condition (fingers crossed).
Hope your mother gets better.
Dr. Nsah
Yes people do recover
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
People do recover but chances are 50/50. The condition can get worst as well as can get better. As I said, the cause needs to be identified urgently (it might require surgical intervention). Most surgeons do not usually want to attempt an operation with a critical ill patient. If they are unsure of the cause, they wouldn't do much with her condition besides giving her life-support.
Acute pancreatitis when severe usually comes with high mortality. If she has survived for two days, then I believe she can recover.
Do not loose hope and have faith in her doctors to do the best and if it comes to the worst, do accept the situation.
I would not be able to tell per say in your mother's own situation, but complicated acute pancreatitis is a serious life-threatening condition (fingers crossed).
Hope your mother gets better.
Dr. Nsah
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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