[Diagnosis and therapy of acute pancreatitis].

In acute pancreatitis the evaluation of severity is as important as the diagnosis. If there is evidence for severe pancreatitis, an immediate intensive care of all organ systems is needed, to avoid complications. Besides clinical signs, serum CRP is the most valuable parameter to define severity. According to present knowledge, a CT-scan is only needed in sepsis or multiorgan failure. Non-invasive ventilation should be started early in case of hypoxia. Up to now, no general benefit was detected for antibiotic prophylaxis or enteral nutrition. No consensus exists whether and when endoscopic interventions are superior to surgery in the treatment of infected necrosis.