rss
Postgrad Med J 2006;82:254-258 doi:10.1136/pgmj.2005.037192
  • Review

Gall stones and chronic pancreatitis: the black box in between

  1. M-X Yan1,2,
  2. Y-Q Li1
  1. 1Department of Gastroenterology, Shandong University Qilu Hospital, Shandong Province, China
  2. 2Department of Gastroenterology, Shandong University School of Clinical Medicine, Shandong Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong Province, China
  1. Correspondence to:
 Dr M-X Yan
 Department of Gastroenterology, Shandong University School of Clinical Medicine, Shandong Qianfoshan Hospital, 250014, 66 Jingshi Road, Jinan, Shandong Province, China; milsonyan{at}163.com
  • Received 11 May 2005
  • Accepted 23 July 2005

Abstract

The relation between gall stones and chronic pancreatitis is uncertain; there are differing opinions on this issue. Firstly, gall stones are the most common reason for acute pancreatitis, but it cannot cause chronic pancreatitis. Secondly, a connection between gall stones and chronic inflammation of the pancreas might exist. Numerous studies or investigations have shown that changes associated with chronic pancreatitis are common in gallstone patients. Although it seems that gall stones might be a cause of chronic pancreatitis according to these findings, clinical and experimental studies are still needed for confirmation, and further studies are required to determine the mechanisms involved.

Footnotes

  • Funding: none.

  • Conflicts of interest: none.

This Article

  1. Abstract
  2. Full text
  3. PDF

Responses

  1. Submit a response
  2. No responses published

Register for free content

The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.