Biliary Pancreatitis: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Prevention Health ConditionsFeaturedBreast CancerIBD MigraineMultiple Sclerosis (MS)Rheumatoid ArthritisType 2 DiabetesSponsored TopicsArticlesAcid RefluxADHDAllergiesAlzheimer's & DementiaBipolar DisorderCancerCrohn's DiseaseChronic PainCold & FluCOPDDepressionFibromyalgiaHeart DiseaseHigh CholesterolHIVHypertensionIPFOsteoarthritisPsoriasisSkin Disorders and CareSTDsDiscoverWellness TopicsNutritionFitnessSkin CareSexual HealthWomen's HealthMental HealthSleepOriginal SeriesFresh Food FastDiagnosis DiariesYou’re Not AlonePresent TenseVideo SeriesYouth in FocusHealthy HarvestNo More SilenceFuture of HealthPlanHealth ChallengesMindful EatingSugar SavvyMove Your BodyGut HealthMood FoodsAlign Your SpineFind CarePrimary CareMental HealthOB-GYNDermatologistsNeurologistsCardiologistsOrthopedistsLifestyle QuizzesWeight ManagementAm I Depressed? A Quiz for TeensAre You a Workaholic?How Well Do You Sleep?Tools & ResourcesHealth NewsFind a DietFind Healthy SnacksDrugs A-ZHealth A-ZConnectFind Your Bezzy CommunityBreast CancerInflammatory Bowel DiseasePsoriatic ArthritisMigraineMultiple SclerosisPsoriasisFollow us on social mediaShopProducts by ConditionInsomniaStress ReliefBack PainNeck PainSleep ApneaHot SleepersAllergiesPain ReliefProduct ReviewsVitamins & SupplementsSleepMental HealthNutritionAt-Home TestingCBDMen’s HealthWomen’s HealthHealth ConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectShopSubscribe

What Is Biliary Pancreatitis

Medically reviewed by Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-C — By Daniel Yetman on October 14, 2022Biliary pancreatitis occurs when gallstones develop in your gallbladder and block the duct that leads through your pancreas to your small intestines. Gallstones develop from hardened pieces of digestive fluid. In general, pancreatitis is a condition involving inflammation of your pancreas. It can be acute or chronic. Acute pancreatitis develops quickly and usually resolves within several days with proper treatment. Chronic pancreatitis develops slowly over time from ongoing tissue damage. Biliary pancreatitis, also known as gallstone pancreatitis, is the most common cause of acute pancreatitis. In the United States, around 200,000 hospital admissions happen each year due to acute pancreatitis. Biliary pancreatitis makes up about 35% to 40% of cases. Read on to learn more about biliary pancreatitis, including symptoms, causes, and treatment options.

What are the symptoms of biliary pancreatitis

Biliary pancreatitis can cause symptoms such as:abdominal pain or back painnauseavomitingswollen abdomendark urinepale stoolsjaundiceitchy skinfever Biliary obstruction often causes sharper pain than other causes of acute pancreatitis. According to the American College of Gastroenterology, it involves a squeezing type pain, most often in the left upper abdomen or back. It usually reaches peak intensity within 30 minutes and persists for more than 24 hours at a fairly constant intensity.Important It’s important to get immediate medical attention if you have symptoms of acute pancreatitis, as there’s a risk of life threatening complications, such as multiple organ failure or severe damage to the pancreas.

What causes biliary pancreatitis

Gallstones cause biliary pancreatitis by getting stuck in the duct that leads from your gallbladder to your small intestines via your pancreas. This blockage causes enzymes to back up into your pancreas, leading to damage and inflammation of your pancreas. The risk of developing biliary pancreatitis seems to be higher in people with gallstones less than 5 millimeters in diameter. These stones are small enough to enter the ducts of your gallbladder but might not be big enough to pass through. In very rare cases, gallstones can be greater than 5 centimeters, which is about 2 inches in diameter.

What causes gallstones

According to research, the risk of biliary pancreatitis in people with gallstones is 7%. Gallstones form when bile inside your gallbladder contains too much cholesterol, bilirubin, or insufficient bile salts. Researchers aren’t entirely sure why these changes occur. Biliary pancreatitis and, by extension, gallstones may be more likely to occur in:femalesolder peoplepeople with more weightindividuals with high cholesterolthose taking birth control or hormone replacement pillspeople experiencing rapid weight loss individuals with diabetespregnant people

How is biliary pancreatitis diagnosed

Doctors often diagnose biliary pancreatitis with a combination of results from your medical history, physical exam, imaging, and blood tests. People need to meet two of the following three criteria for an acute pancreatitis diagnosis:upper abdominal or back pain consistent with pancreatic painincreased lipase or amylase levels (digestive enzymes) more than three times the upper limit of typical levelsabdominal imaging showing pancreatic inflammation Imaging can show doctors the extent of the inflammation and the severity of pancreatitis. Imaging techniques include:MRICTabdominal ultrasound Doctors often use ultrasound as the initial imaging test. It can correctly identify biliary pancreatitis about 84% of the time. Your doctor may order blood tests to check:amylase and lipase levels (digestive enzymes)lipid levels (fats in the blood)blood glucose (sugar) levelsmarkers of inflammation or infection of the bile ducts, pancreas, gallbladder, or liver

How is biliary pancreatitis treated

Early treatment is important for acute pancreatitis. It’s a good idea to receive treatment for biliary pancreatitis at a hospital to minimize the risk of complications and have a doctor assess the extent of inflammation. At the hospital, you may receive:intravenous (IV) fluids to treat dehydration if you’re vomiting and can’t keep fluids downpain medications and antibiotics by mouth or through an IV if you have an infectiona low fat diet or nutrition through an IV You may need a procedure called endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. During this procedure, doctors use an X-ray to guide a long, thin tube down your throat to remove gallstones.

Gallbladder removal

Your doctor may recommend a procedure called cholecystectomy to remove your gallbladder once inflammation symptoms subside. Experts recommend gallbladder removal after mild biliary pancreatitis to avoid the risk of future gallbladder problems. However, there’s some debate about when to remove the gallbladder. In a 2022 study, researchers found that the optimal time for gallbladder removal was within 8 weeks of hospital discharge for biliary pancreatitis with necrosis (a loss of blood supply that causes part of the pancreas to die).

What are the complications

Most people with acute pancreatitis have mild disease, but 15% to 20% of cases are severe. Around 20% to 30% of severe cases lead to death. Severe pancreatitis usually involves pancreatitis with organ failure for more than 48 hours. Complications of acute pancreatitis can include:infectionpancreatic necrosischronic pancreatitissystemic inflammatory response syndrome, a serious condition involving whole-body inflammationorgan failureacute respiratory distress syndromepseudocysts, a buildup of fluid on your pancreas Early diagnosis and treatment can prevent complications that lead to death, like multiple organ failure and pancreatic necrosis.

Can biliary pancreatitis be prevented

Gallstones can cause biliary pancreatitis. Lowering your risk of developing gallstones may also lower your risk of developing biliary pancreatitis. Researchers aren’t entirely sure why gallstones form, but there’s a limited amount of evidence that some lifestyle habits can contribute to them. You may be able to lower your risk of gallstones by:managing weight if you have more weight, which may lower the amount of cholesterol in your bileavoiding foods that are high in saturated fat, such as:full-fat dairy products sausage and fatty meatcakes, biscuits, and baked goodscoconut or palm oilconsuming plenty of fruits and vegetableseating nuts, such as peanuts or cashews

The bottom line

Biliary pancreatitis is the most common cause of acute pancreatitis. It occurs when gallstones get stuck in the ducts that lead from your gallbladder to your small intestines through your pancreas. This blockage can lead to a backup of pancreatic enzymes inside the pancreas. This can cause inflammation of the pancreas. Most cases of biliary pancreatitis are mild and usually resolve within about a week with proper treatment. To reduce the risk of severe complications, it’s important to get medical attention if you have symptoms of biliary pancreatitis. Last medically reviewed on October 14, 2022

How we vetted this article

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.Al Zoubi M, et al. (2020). Largest case series of giant gallstones ever reported, and review of the literature.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7322177/Bouwense SA, et al. (2015). Timing of cholecystectomy after acute biliary pancreatitis.
pancreapedia.org/reviews/timing-of-cholecystectomy-after-acute-biliary-pancreatitisDedemadi G, et al. (2016). Management of patients after recovering from acute severe biliary pancreatitis.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5016369/Gallstones. (2021).
nhs.uk/conditions/gallstones/Gallstones. (n.d.).
niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/gallstonesGapp J, et al. (2022). Acute pancreatitis.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482468/Groce R, et al. (2022). Gallstone pancreatitis.
gi.org/topics/gallstone-pancreatitis/Hallensleben N, et al. (2021). Optimal timing of cholecystectomy after necrotising biliary pancreatitis.
gut.bmj.com/content/71/5/974Kundumadam S, et al. (2021). Gallstone pancreatitis: General clinical approach and the role of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7820643/Malik Am, et al. (2015). Acute pancreatitis. A more common and severe complication of gallstones in males.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4538890/Mohy-ud-din N, et al. (2022). Pancreatitis.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538337/Nadhem O, et al. (2017). Acute pancreatitis: An atypical presentation.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5471751/Pancreatitis. (n.d.).
niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/pancreatitisShah AP, et al. (2018). Acute pancreatitis: Current perspectives on diagnosis and management.
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5849938/Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Current Version Oct 14, 2022 By Daniel Yetman Edited By Claire Brocato Medically Reviewed By Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-C Copy Edited By Sofia Santamarina Share this articleMedically reviewed by Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-C — By Daniel Yetman on October 14, 2022

Read this next

Gallbladder SludgeMedically reviewed by Saurabh Sethi, M.D., MPH If the gallbladder doesn't empty completely, the remaining particles, like cholesterol or calcium salts, can start to thicken and become biliary…READ MOREIdentifying Gallbladder Problems and Their SymptomsMedically reviewed by Saurabh Sethi, M.D., MPH Learn the signs and symptoms of gallbladder problems here. Also discover how they’re treated, foods to eat and avoid, when to see your doctor, and…READ MOREWhat Side Should You Lie on for Gallbladder Pain?Medically reviewed by Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-C Sleeping on your left side can help manage pain caused by gallstones if you have a clogged bile duct. Learn about other pain relief remedies and when…READ MOREHow to Get a Good Night’s Sleep Following Gallbladder Surgery Getting some sleep after gallbladder surgery isn’t always easy, but having a game-plan in place can make it easier. Here are things to consider.READ MOREWhat Does Gallbladder Pain Feel Like?Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M.D., MPH Gallbladder pain can be sudden, intense, and severe. Learn where it’s typically located, why it occurs, and what to do about it.READ MOREWhat to Know About Your Gallbladder and Alcohol ConsumptionMedically reviewed by Saurabh Sethi, M.D., MPH Alcohol is a known risk factor for many health conditions. However, research has shown that moderate alcohol consumption may actually help prevent…READ MOREWhat You Need to Know About Your GallbladderMedically reviewed by Saurabh Sethi, M.D., MPH Your gallbladder, located in your upper right abdomen, is an important part of your biliary system. Learn more about the function of your gallbladder…READ MOREGallbladder Removal Diet: What to Eat and What to SkipMedically reviewed by Natalie Butler, R.D., L.D. There’s no specific gallbladder removal diet, but you’ll probably want to make a few adjustments after having your gallbladder removed to avoid…READ MOREWhat to Do If You’re Having a Gallbladder AttackMedically reviewed by Saurabh Sethi, MD, MPH If you’re having a gallbladder attack, it’s important that you seek immediate medical care. A doctor can provide both diagnosis and treatment. We’ll…READ MORE*clone Market VIP* The 11 Best Mattresses for Lower Back Pain in 2022Medically reviewed by Gregory Minnis, DPT These 11 picks are some of the best mattresses for lower back pain. Offering medium-firm support, they’ll help keep you aligned and rested.READ MORE