Introduction Trauma care in general has been revolutionized by the increased availability and accuracy of cross-sectional imaging and interventional radiology. The ‘trauma CT scan’ is an integral part of most units’ major trauma protocols and specialized trauma centres depend on…
Acknowledgement We would like to acknowledge Saxon Connor who authored the previous version of this chapter. Introduction Although pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma accounts for the majority of pancreatic neoplasms, over the last three decades there has been increasing recognition of cystic…
Introduction Pancreatic adenocarcinoma accounts for over 90% of tumours arising from exocrine pancreas. Due to its late presentation at an advanced stage, it has a poor prognosis in the majority of patients. In the United States in 2020 there was…
Summary Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is an inflammatory disease of the pancreas characterised by inflammation and scarring resulting in irreversible damage to the gland, leading to variable loss of pancreatic exocrine and endocrine function. The most common aetiological factor is long-term…
Introduction Acute pancreatitis is a common disease, characterised by painful inflammation of the pancreas. It is diagnosed if two of the following three criteria are present: abdominal pain, level of serum lipase (or amylase) three times the upper limit of…
Introduction Malignant lesions of the biliary tract, including the gallbladder, are uncommon and account for approximately 15% of hepatobiliary neoplasms and 3% of gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies overall. Biliary tract cancers are prevalent in certain regions, such as Thailand, Chile and…
Introduction Apart from those disorders related to choledocholithiasis, benign diseases of the biliary tree are relatively uncommon ( Box 13.1 ). The most challenging patients are those who present with symptoms associated with biliary strictures, which arise more commonly following…
Introduction The gallbladder serves as a reservoir to hold bile and release it in a bolus when fat is ingested ( Fig. 12.1 ). Fat in the stomach results in the release of cholecystokinin (CCK) which causes contraction and emptying…
Introduction The spleen is a little understood organ largely mystifying early physicians since antiquity. It was not until the latter half of the 20th century that the spleen’s four main functions are better understood: antibody presentation and production, foetal haematopoiesis,…
Introduction The discovery of insulin by Banting and Best in the early part of the 20th century saw type I diabetes become a treatable chronic illness rather than a rapidly fatal diagnosis. Since then, patients with diabetes have been able…