Fatty liver infiltration: treatment, diffuse changes

Fatty infiltration of the pancreas is a pathological condition in which healthy cells of this organ turn into fat. The size of the pancreas remains unchanged, but it gradually loses all its functions. This disease is characterized by a long asymptomatic course, which can lead to the development of serious complications. Most often, fatty infiltration develops in people with acute or chronic pancreatitis and excess body weight. The disease may be accompanied by serious liver problems.

What is it, fatty infiltration of the pancreas?

With obesity of the pancreas, metabolic processes in the body are disrupted. Cells that die in this organ are replaced by lipids. The body retains the integrity of the organ, but a number of its functions are lost. The most common causes of this pathology are:

Drinking alcoholic beverages.
Acute or chronic pancreatitis.
Excess body weight.
Having relatives with diffuse changes in the liver such as fatty infiltration increases the risk of steatosis.
Non-compliance with diet for pancreatitis.
Using the wrong medications for inflammation of the pancreas.

Statistics show that in most cases, fatty infiltration is diagnosed in older people; in young people, the pancreas copes with the load on its own.

Fatty liver: causes, symptoms and treatment methods

Ultrasound often detects echo signs of diffuse pancreatic damage.
This phenomenon indicates that the structure of the organ is disturbed and its size is increased. Hemorrhages and fibrous conglomerates of lipid cells may also be visualized. Fatty infiltration of the liver occurs due to the accumulation of fat in it. Such changes occur for various reasons, including exposure to alcohol, certain medications and other factors.

Due to the fact that fatty infiltration is a disease that is associated with the accumulation of fat in the tissues and cells of the liver due to exposure to toxic substances, the diagnosis of this disease has its own specifics.

Fatty liver infiltration, or hepatosis, is a fairly common and dangerous disease. It is accompanied by the so-called fatty degeneration, when simple fats begin to accumulate in functional cells - hepatocytes.

Fatty liver and its causes

In fact, hepatosis can occur under the influence of many factors, both external and internal.

For example, fatty degeneration is often associated with a disorder of lipid metabolism in the body. Sometimes a person’s blood contains an abnormally large amount of free lipids, which accumulate in the liver tissue. The risk of developing hepatosis increases with obesity or diabetes.
The disease can also be associated with poor nutrition, for example, a deficiency of protein foods or fasting, which puts the body into a state of stress and disrupts the normal functioning of the liver.
Not least on the list of causes is toxic effects. Liver infiltration often develops against the background of chronic alcoholism.
Statistics confirm that people living in areas of high radiation have a similar problem more often.
There is also danger in taking antibiotics unsystematically over a long period of time.
Fatty infiltration of the liver can be the result of hormonal imbalances. It has been proven that a deficiency of thyroxine, as well as an excess amount of adrenal hormones, leads to the development of such a disease. In addition, the risk of developing hepatosis increases during pregnancy.
In some cases, the cause is a disruption in the normal digestion and absorption of fats in the digestive tract.

Fatty liver and its main symptoms

Unfortunately, the first stages of fatty degeneration are rarely accompanied by any serious symptoms, and patients often do not pay attention to minor ailments. You need to understand that it is very important to detect the disease in time, because in the last stages of development, conservative treatment is unlikely to bring results. The main signs of hepatosis include:

constant dysbiosis, which manifests itself as bloating and abdominal pain, flatulence, problems with stool;
frequent nausea and vomiting;
heaviness in the abdomen on the right side;
deterioration of the skin, which becomes dull and thin as the disease progresses;
Over time, a decrease in visual acuity is observed.

Fatty liver: treatment and diagnosis

As a rule, even during the examination, the doctor detects an enlargement of the liver, which is the reason for additional studies - ultrasound, tomography and biopsy. Treatment directly depends on the stage of development of the disease and the cause of its occurrence.

For example, if hepatosis is caused by alcohol consumption, then the patient needs to stop drinking alcohol. In addition, it is necessary to follow a strict diet, eliminating spicy, fried, fatty and spicy foods from the diet.

Drinking alcoholic beverages.
Acute or chronic pancreatitis.
Excess body weight.
Having relatives with diffuse changes in the liver such as fatty infiltration increases the risk of steatosis.
Non-compliance with diet for pancreatitis.
Using the wrong medications for inflammation of the pancreas.

Statistics show that in most cases, fatty infiltration is diagnosed in older people; in young people, the pancreas copes with the load on its own.

Regardless of which organ the obesity occurs in, it disrupts its normal functioning. The pancreas is no exception, in the cells of which inclusions of fat begin to accumulate, displacing normal structures and preventing the functioning of the remaining ones.

Fatty infiltration of the pancreas indicates a metabolic disorder.

Most often, this diagnosis is encountered by patients who have developed acute or chronic pancreatitis due to alcohol abuse, especially for people who are overweight.

As a rule, in such cases, fatty infiltration of the pancreas is simultaneously combined with infiltration of the liver. At the same time, the gland itself, during ultrasound examination, does not change in size or is slightly enlarged, has absolutely smooth contours, and its ducts are not dilated.

Since not a single process occurring in the human body can occur in isolation, it is worth considering that any advanced disease can provoke extremely unpleasant consequences. Thus, the disease pancreatitis very often provokes diabetes, which, in turn, can lead to degeneration of the gland in people with excess body weight.

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Most often, fatty infiltration of the pancreas occurs due to improper treatment or non-compliance with the diet in patients with chronic pancreatitis. Of course, all existing negative consequences are intensified many times against the background of obesity in the patient.

This change in the pancreas is explained quite simply: as a result of disruption of normal functioning, the natural tissue of the gland is replaced by pockets of fat, and this process is irreversible.

By the way, such infiltration does not always occur against the background of an inflammatory disease and, on the contrary, the inflammatory process in the pancreas does not always lead to degeneration.

Most often, such changes affect people with a genetic predisposition, overweight people and elderly patients, so it is these categories that the doctor should pay special attention to.

Fatty degeneration involves the replacement of normal pancreatic cells with fatty cells. The process is irreversible. Symptoms of the disease are usually hidden. Treatment is aimed at curbing obesity and eliminating the causes that cause it.

Fatty infiltration of the pancreas is closely related to a disease such as fatty liver hepatosis.

Causes

Changes in the cellular composition of the pancreas, expressed in fat deposition, are explained by metabolic disorders. The dying cells of the pancreas are replaced by fat cells - thus the body maintains the physical integrity of the gland. Most often this disease is detected in the following cases:

there is chronic or acute pancreatitis;
improper treatment of pancreatic inflammation;
alcohol abuse;
non-compliance with diet for diagnosed pancreatitis;
present liver hepatosis;
general obesity of the patient;
genetic predisposition.

Most often, obesity of the pancreas and hepatosis of the liver occur in older people. For example, up to 40 years of age, the liver can independently cope with existing loads, however, after this age, its internal reserves run out.

Signs

The initial stages of the disease do not manifest themselves in any way. If fatty tissue changes are located in different parts of the pancreas, then they do not compress it and do not impair functionality and that is why they can go unnoticed for a long time.

At further stages of the development of the disease, more pronounced symptoms appear:

nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
dull pain of a girdle nature with a beginning in the right hypochondrium - simultaneously with obesity of the pancreas, hepatosis of the liver begins to appear;
flatulence.

In exceptional cases, the patient may experience weight loss, itching of the skin, and severe pain in the peritoneum.

Fatty infiltration of the pancreas is a latent disease in which changes occur in the normal tissues of the organ and the formation of fibro-fatty cells.

It is customary to distinguish 3 degrees of pancreatic obesity:

The changes affect no more than 30% of the gland cells.
Fat cells make up from 30 to 60% of organ tissue.
More than 60% of cells are fat.

However, this classification does not determine the severity of the disease. The true picture depends on the location, as well as the crowding of fat deposits.

Ultrasound of the pancreas is the most reliable way to diagnose fatty infiltration (lipodystrophy) of the organ. The changes do not affect the shape and size of the pancreas. Only its echogenicity changes, which indicates the existing pathology.

Anti-fat therapy

The prescribed treatment will be most effective if the true cause of the disease is identified and, if possible, eliminated. If this is fatty liver hepatosis, then its therapy is also necessary, for example, taking the drug “Hepatosan” gives good results. This will reduce the load on the pancreas and stop the death of its cells.

Signs

In the initial stages of the disease, symptoms of developing pancreatic obesity may be completely absent. Signs of pathology do not appear until a person experiences compression of certain areas of this organ. Over time, the patient begins to notice that he has dry mouth, increased fatigue, and ulcers appear on the oral mucosa. With further development of the pathology, the following manifestations occur:

Flatulence.
Nausea and vomiting.
Frequent diarrhea.
Dull girdle pain in the right hypochondrium.
Itching and redness of the skin.
Reducing the patient's body weight.
Severe pain in the peritoneum.

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It must be taken into account that fatty infiltration of the pancreas and liver, or hepatosis, is a process that may not show any signs for a long time.

Fat deposits in the liver and pancreas

The role of the pancreas in the human body cannot be overestimated. It performs many vital functions: it produces digestive enzymes, regulates metabolic and metabolic processes, breaks down proteins, fats and carbohydrates entering the gastrointestinal tract, and is responsible for the balance of insulin and glucagon (normal blood sugar levels).

Pancreas

What is fatty infiltration of the pancreas? This is a pathological process, as a result of which fatty inclusions begin to accumulate in healthy gland cells, displacing normal functional structures. When its cells are replaced by fat cells, the same happens to the liver cells. Of course, there can be no talk of normal digestion and metabolic processes; all organs and systems begin to suffer.

Stages

In order for the treatment for pancreatic obesity to be as effective as possible, a specialist, after a detailed diagnosis, needs to determine the stage of the pathological process. At the moment, doctors distinguish 3 stages:

Less than 30% of the cellular tissue was changed.
Between 30% and 60% of pancreatic tissue was replaced by fat cells.
More than 60% of the gland has turned into fat.

Keep in mind that such a classification only shows the degree of prevalence of the pathology - it does not indicate the severity of the ongoing processes. It will be possible to determine what complications the disease has caused only after determining the exact location and crowding of fat.

Medication approach

Only a doctor can choose the right drug treatment for pancreatic obesity.

As a rule, the emphasis in treatment is on taking medications that help improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

Drugs such as Festal, Mezim or Pancreatin have been created based on food enzymes. They can be prescribed by a gastroenterologist.

It is also possible to take antispasmodics - No-shpa, Platyfillin, etc. You may need medications that can normalize hormonal levels. They must be taken carefully, without violating the course and dosage.

In situations with advanced stage obesity of the gland, surgical intervention is prescribed.

Surgical methods are aimed at removing fat cells in the organ. It is worth noting here that adipose tissue can subsequently be replaced by scar tissue, and therefore it is impossible to talk about the long-term result of operations on the gland.

Diagnostics

In order for the treatment of fatty infiltration of the pancreas to be as effective as possible, the patient must undergo detailed diagnostics. It will be prescribed by your attending physician. To determine the extent of the damage, the patient is sent for the following procedures:

Ultrasound of the pancreas is the most accurate method for diagnosing lipodystrophy of the organ. It changes its echogenicity and becomes covered with white spots.
General and biochemical blood tests - based on their results, it is possible to determine an increased level of alpha-amylase.
Contrast X-ray - allows you to determine how well each duct of the organ functions.
CT and MRI are the most extensive diagnostic methods that provide information about all processes occurring in the body. They are necessary to exclude the malignant nature of the changes.

Only after extensive diagnostics will the treating specialist be able to prescribe effective and safe therapy for the pathology.

What are diffuse changes in the pancreas?

Diffuse changes (DI) are manifested by uniform transformation of the pancreatic parenchyma throughout its entire length. Parenchyma is the glandular tissue of an organ that produces hormones and active enzymes. Any changes affect its density.

DIP is not a diagnosis, but an objective reflection of an existing pathological condition. They act as an objective symptom confirming a deviation from the norm and indicate a compaction of the tissue structure and a change in the size of the pancreas.

What is diffusion?

The term "diffusion" is translated from Latin as interaction. It is used in physics and chemistry and implies the uniform distribution of one substance in another - the distribution of particles of one substance between the molecules of another. In anatomy, it is used to denote the penetration or growth of cells of one tissue into another - a diffusion process. In some diseases, normally functioning tissue in the pancreas is replaced by connective or fatty tissue. The condition of the organ and the person’s well-being in the future depend on how many healthy cells remain.

Reasons for the appearance of diffuse changes

DIP is not only a manifestation of a pathological condition. In certain cases, it is a variant of the norm: it is often detected in children. Typically, such changes in parenchymal organs occur with age, when the structure of the tissue has changed under the influence of chronic diseases.

The causes of pathological DIP include:

Chronic diseases of the digestive system, including the pancreas, the functioning of which is interconnected. This is especially true for the gland itself, the liver and the gallbladder: the common duct for excreting bile and pancreatic juice contributes to the simultaneous development of liver and pancreas pathology.
Metabolic-dystrophic diseases: unchanged organ tissue is replaced by connective or fatty tissue.
Diabetes mellitus and vascular disease in an elderly person with a long history of this pathology cause disruption of the blood supply to pancreatic tissue and metabolism.
Infectious diseases leading to disruption of tissue metabolism.
Genetic predisposition.

Provoking factors

Diffuse changes in pancreatic tissues provoke:

errors in the prescribed diet (consumption of fatty, spicy foods),
drinking alcohol and smoking - we are not always talking about abuse, even intolerance to alcoholic beverages can lead to irritation of pancreatic tissue and the development of inflammation,
unsystematic use of medications - sometimes a drug in the form of one tablet or solution can cause an exacerbation if there are contraindications to the drug,
stress, nervous breakdowns - lead to disruption of hormonal levels and metabolic processes, provoking changes in the structure of organ tissue,
age.

Treatment

Only with an integrated approach will you be able to completely get rid of fatty infiltration of the pancreas. Taking medications alone is not enough in this case. To fully recover, you need to act according to the following scheme:

Determining the exact reasons why deviations occurred.
Treatment and protection of the pancreas with medications.
Taking vitamin complexes and herbal preparations.
Review of nutritional principles, adherence to a special diet.
Conducting physical warm-ups and breathing exercises.
Leading a healthy lifestyle: completely giving up bad habits.

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Such measures are used only when less than 60% of the pancreas is replaced. If the pathological process has spread to a larger perimeter, the person may undergo surgery to excise the fatty tissue.

Treatment with folk remedies

Neglecting the advice of doctors and completely basing treatment on the advice of friends or folk recipes is in no case acceptable, but the reasonable use of time-tested remedies and the correct combination of them after consultation with the treating specialist often leads to faster recovery. “The doctor heals, but nature heals!” (Hippocrates).

So, in case of acute attacks of pain, a compress of yogurt on the stomach area helps relieve inflammation; in order to improve the health of the body, drink oatmeal jelly, eat liquid oatmeal porridge, take an infusion of rose rhodiola, a decoction of aspen or a decoction of wormwood and iris. When introducing herbal preparations and alternative medicine methods into the diet, it is worth remembering that there is no ideal panacea for all diseases and in each case, the disease must be treated strictly according to an individual scheme, based on the characteristics of the body and strictly adhering to medical recommendations.

The transformation of lipid cells (healthy) into diseased (fat) cells is called pancreatic steatosis. The pathology is also called fatty lipomatosis or fatty infiltration. For a long time, a person can live with diffuse changes and not even think that he has them. The disease develops asymptomatically, and in the meantime healthy lipid cells die. Steatosis can occur if a person overindulges in unhealthy foods; also, heredity and environmental factors can cause diffuse cell destruction.

Dead cells are gradually replaced by diffuse elements obtained as a result of enhanced work of the immune system. As a result, the shape of the gland remains the same, but it gradually loses its original functions. If treatment is not started on time, the organ may completely stop functioning, and irreversible consequences will occur for the body.

Possible complications

Fatty degeneration is a rather dangerous disease. In the absence of comprehensive treatment for a long time, this pathology can easily provoke the occurrence of the following pathologies:

Formation of ulcers on the walls of nearby organs.
A sharp decrease in blood glucose.
The formation and movement of small stones along the gallbladder ducts.
Development of sepsis.
The appearance of mental disorders.
Formation of abscesses in the pancreas, which can develop into the abdominal cavity.
Formation of cysts inside the organ.
Suppuration and rupture in the intestines.

Fatty pancreas and liver symptoms and treatment

The pathology of organ fatness is called steatosis. The pancreas and liver are most susceptible to this disease. Bad habits provoke obesity. Liver steatosis occurs due to fatty glands. When examining the organs, fatty hepatosis is detected, which initially does not show symptoms.

When fat forms in the cell, the hepatocyte membrane ruptures, and a fat cyst appears. The cyst compacts tissue around itself, which degenerates into fibrous tissue, which provokes cirrhosis of the liver. Steatosis is treated for a long time in a hospital setting with medications that break down fat, restore metabolism, and promote cell restoration.

At the onset of the disease, bed rest, taking medications as scheduled, eating lean foods, and visiting a physiotherapist are helpful. Diseases such as liver steatosis, diabetes mellitus, lipomatosis occur as a result of a serious disease - pancreatitis. Many of these diseases can be cured and prevented from occurring. The body can be protected from the development of diseases of the liver and pancreas if you eat properly, do not get involved in bad habits, and exercise.

Principles of nutrition

Fatty infiltration of the pancreas requires a complete change in diet and nutritional principle. It is very important not to reload an organ that cannot fully perform its functions. The diet should contain as many vegetable oils and non-fatty acids as possible. Diabetes mellitus often develops against the background of this pathology, which can lead to diabetic retinopathy. In this case, stop eating simple carbohydrates.

After treatment, it is necessary to take a control blood test and undergo an ultrasound of the abdominal organs. This pathology can cause serious disturbances in metabolic processes, so a comprehensive examination should be carried out 2 times a year. If you follow the principles of proper nutrition, you will prevent fatty infiltration from occurring. With this disease, it is forbidden to consume foods that slow down digestion and can provoke an inflammatory process. It is worth completely abandoning:

Fatty, fried, smoked.
Alcoholic drinks.
Spicy, salty, pickled.
Sweets, butter pastries, and other confectionery products.

A person with pancreatic damage should eat often, but in small portions. It is forbidden to lie down immediately after eating, as this will provoke stagnation in the intestines - causing additional stress on the organ. It is very important to drink as much clean water as possible - at least 3 liters per day. You can also diversify your diet with mineral magnesium sulfate waters or decoctions of medicinal plants.

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How is the pancreas treated with medications?

The pancreas is only 15 cm long and is located transversely in the upper part of the peritoneal cavity. As part of the endocrine system, it performs a tremendous job during the digestion of food: it produces enzymes to break down fats, proteins and carbohydrates into particles so that the intestines can absorb them.

If the function of the pancreas is impaired due to overeating, consumption of fatty or fried, spicy and salty foods and alcohol, then pancreatitis, diabetes mellitus, and cancer may develop.

The hormones that the pancreas produces: insulin, glucagon and others should regulate blood sugar levels, but if the gland malfunctions and inflammation (pancreatitis) develops, the liver’s work also gets worse.

The pancreas will “signal” with monotonous symptoms: constant or paroxysmal pain, nausea and vomiting, lack of appetite, upset stool, weight loss. When diseases appear, it is necessary to simultaneously treat the pancreas with medications, as well as the liver at the same time after diagnosis by ultrasound, CT and X-ray, and blood and urine tests.

When prescribing tablets for the liver and pancreas (PG), the doctor takes into account their pharmaceutical effects in order to achieve the therapeutic goal faster and more effectively.

Namely, drugs for inflammation of the liver and pancreas are prescribed:

Baralgin, No-shpa, Spazgan, Papaverine - for an analgesic effect: reducing acute pain and spasms;
Enzyme forte, Creon, Pancreatin, Festal - to compensate for enzyme deficiency: facilitating the functioning of the digestive system and eliminating the inflammatory process;
Almagel, Maalox, Phosphalugel - to neutralize the aggression of acidic secretions: to prevent further destruction of the tissues of the digestive organs;
Ampicillin, Doxycycline, Tobramycin, Cefspan, Cephobid - to inhibit pathogenic bacteria: reduce inflammation and swelling.

In case of exacerbation, call an ambulance and inject No-shpu into the muscle to eliminate spasms in the pancreatic ducts. In this case, the patient should sit down, pressing his legs to his stomach and tilting the front part of his body slightly forward to reduce pain and muffle attacks of nausea. A cold compress is applied to the epigastric area and left for 10-15 minutes.

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Chronic inflammation is eliminated and the functioning of the pancreas is supported by enzyme preparations: Almagel A, Creon 1000, Mezim, Maolox. Restore digestive functions and normalize intestinal microflora by administering Lacton, Linex or Lacidofil with or after food.

Types of DIPZH

Diffuse changes in pancreatic tissues vary in nature and degree of prevalence:

Increased echo density with the normal size of the organ remaining normal is characteristic of steatosis: part of the pancreas is replaced by adipose tissue, the gland becomes hyperechoic.
Reduced echo density with a heterogeneous tissue structure and increased volume of the pancreas is detected in acute inflammation.
Reduced density and reduced echogenicity with unchanged dimensions are observed in chronic sluggish pancreatitis.

Diffuse changes in the parenchyma

Diffuse changes in the pancreatic parenchyma is a phrase often found in the ultrasound protocol. It indicates that some cells of the organ have died or lost their functionality due to age, past or existing diseases of the gland itself or adjacent and functionally related other organs.

Diffuse changes in the structure of the pancreas

According to the nature of changes in the structure of the pancreas, they are divided into uniform and uneven. They are a reflection of local or general pathological forms. Due to inflammation or swelling, the pancreas may have greater density or lose it. The tissue structure is diffusely changed during this transformation.

Pseudocysts, neoplasms, stones, and sclerosis give a picture of uneven DIP. In diabetes mellitus, a modification of the structure in the form of steatosis is observed: normal pancreatic cells are replaced by fat cells - lipomatosis. Steatosis develops very slowly over a long period of time. At the initial stages, it is insignificant, asymptomatic, not diagnosed, but is detected when the process reaches the tail of the pancreas and diabetes mellitus develops. This is dangerous for the condition, because the more affected areas there are in the gland, the more extensive the treatment methods.

Dystrophic changes

Dystrophic changes in the pancreas are manifested by a decrease in organ secretion. This occurs due to a decrease in the number of functioning cells.

The most common cause of dystrophy is age. The cell resource is not infinite: under the influence of alcoholic beverages, toxins, and poor eating habits, the acini cells that produce pancreatic juice die. The islets of Langerhans, which produce hormones, also change. Therefore, elderly people are recommended to adhere to the diet even during remission. Any errors lead to existing unexpressed changes to serious pathology. Not only the cells change, but also the small ducts: they become unevenly expanded or narrowed, which can result in difficulty in the secretion of pancreatic juice.

With pancreatitis, after each exacerbation, the number of normal cells decreases sharply, and the formation of new ones does not occur. In acute pancreatitis, complicated by necrosis, massive death of pancreatic tissue is observed. It is replaced by connective tissue cells, and due to the degenerative process, a significant part of the gland almost completely ceases to function.

Alcohol addiction causes cell death even in the absence of inflammation in the pancreas. Improper nutrition has a similar effect on the gland - it leads to pronounced metabolic changes in the liver and pancreas.

Benign formations and cysts, as they grow, compress the surrounding tissues and lead to the development of dystrophic changes. In cancer, the damage process is more complex: a rapid proliferation of pathological low-differentiated cells occurs, they displace healthy ones and lead to their death.

Jet

Reactive changes in the pancreas are the reaction of the gland to the pathology of other organs of the gastrointestinal tract. They develop with cholecystitis, hepatitis, and peptic ulcers. The process is secondary. This pathology can cause pain and disrupt digestion processes and glucose levels. In reactive states, the quantity and quality of cells in the islets of Langerhans, which produce hormones, including insulin, change. In the cells of the acinus, the production of enzymes involved in food digestion decreases.

Stagnation of bile leads to reactive changes of a diffuse nature in the pancreas. They are mild, without clear clinical manifestations, and have a sluggish or asymptomatic course.

Fibrous

Fibrosis of the pancreas is the displacement of parenchyma by connective tissue. Develops after repeated pancreatitis. The impetus for its development is junk food, alcoholic drinks (including low-alcohol ones), and smoking. It is asymptomatic, develops in older people, and in young people - with alcohol abuse.

Fibrosis is distinguished:

diffuse - the lesion completely spreads over the entire area of the organ,
focal - occurs locally, in separate islands.

If in the pancreas, along with connective tissue, adipose tissue appears in place of healthy cells, this is lipofibrosis, or fibrolipomatosis. On ultrasound, this is manifested by diffusely heterogeneous tissue. When connective tissue is concentrated locally, in one place, fibroma develops - a benign formation.

If such changes have developed, ultrasound reveals increased echogenicity and tissue density, and an increase in the size of the pancreas. The clinical picture is poor, complaints may be absent. Fibrous changes are characterized by:

slow growth
minimal pressure on adjacent tissues,
absence of metastases.

Cases have been described in which fibroma grew to enormous sizes, damaging the tissues of not only its own organ, but also neighboring ones, as well as blood vessels and nerve fibers. The formation does not cause discomfort and is often detected (fibroma or fibromatous changes) as an ultrasound finding during medical examinations or examination for pathology of the digestive system organs. When the fibroma is located in the head of the pancreas, where the common pancreatic and bile ducts connect, it can compress them with the formation of jaundice. When the fibroma in the head grows to a large size, it can compress the small intestine with the appearance of intestinal obstruction.

The replacement of normal functioning pancreatic tissues with connective tissue occurs during chronic processes. The reason may be bad eating habits and habits, indiscriminate or long-term use of medications, intoxication, infections, gallbladder diseases, stress, and age over 60 years.

Treatment of infiltration

If the patient has purulent complications, surgical treatment of the disease is indicated. During the operation, the source of infection is sanitized and drained. The main method of sanitation of purulent-necrotic foci is necrosequestrectomy.

When it is carried out, they are most often limited to minimally invasive techniques: ultrasound-guided puncture, laparoscopy. To perform these manipulations, the appropriate qualifications of the surgeon are required. Anti-inflammatory drugs also help in resolving the pancreatic infiltrate; in severe cases, corticosteroids are used.

The postoperative period of treatment of infiltrate with pancreatitis includes:

feeding through a tube to provide the body with all the necessary substances;
systemic antibiotic therapy;
prevention of complications from antibiotic treatment (antifungals, lactobacilli);
immunotherapy (after taking an immunogram);
hormonal therapy with glucocorticosteroids for severe disease;
for sepsis - immunoglobulins in combination with hormones.

Classic symptoms of infiltration

It is very important to learn to listen to your body and recognize its signals, so that later you do not regret the lost time and the lost chance of recovery. Fatty infiltration of the gland can occur in a latent form for a long time, but there are several signs that should alert the patient:

Increased fatigue and decreased physical activity and appetite
Constant feeling of thirst and dry mouth
The appearance of small painful ulcers on the oral mucosa
Girdle pain in the abdominal cavity, starting from the right hypochondrium
Nausea and bowel movements (usually diarrhea)
Excessive gas formation

In more severe stages of the disease, significant weight loss, changes in color and condition of the skin, accompanied by itching, may be observed.

Steatosis of a hereditary nature is observed quite rarely; the main culprit for its development is the patient himself and his lifestyle. The most common causes of pathology include:

Bad habits, alcohol abuse and smoking.
Long-term or improper use of certain medications, including hormones and antibiotics.
Poor nutrition and excess body weight.
Strict diets, fasting.
Pancreatic injuries or unsuccessful surgical operations, long-term parenteral nutrition (for example, intravenous).
Diabetes mellitus, pancreatitis.

Various infections and inflammatory diseases, the presence of stones in the gallbladder and its ducts, cholecystitis and other gastrointestinal pathologies can indirectly affect the development of the disease. All these ailments can provoke inflammation of the pancreas, as a result of which its affected tissues begin to be replaced by adipose tissue.

The absence of a habit formed over many years of life to eat properly, regularly, without overeating, leads to the appearance of diseases associated with the digestive organs, and primarily with the pancreas.

The patient may lose weight dramatically, but more often, on the contrary, gain a lot of extra pounds. Obesity is the scourge of our time, the last generations who did not know what wars and hunger were. But they have tried it very well and know what fast foods and fast food establishments are.

Excess weight has many consequences, leading to shortness of breath, heart problems, failure of the immune and endocrine systems and other negative consequences. One of them is fatty infiltration of the pancreas; we will try to find out what this is during the course of the story.

Diagnosis of changes

To identify the pathology in question, an anamnesis is drawn up based on a patient interview, and the pancreas area is examined and palpated. Then laboratory and hardware diagnostic examinations are carried out:

ultrasonography;
CT scan;
radiography;
endoscopy (retrograde cholangiopancreatography);
blood, urine and stool tests for the amount of pancreatic enzymes.

The main and first method of diagnostic examination for diffuse changes in the pancreas is ultrasound. Based on the conclusion obtained, other diagnostic methods necessary in each specific case are prescribed.

The determination of this pathology during an ultrasound examination is based on echogenicity indicators. Most often, its increase is a sign of compaction of the parenchyma or the presence of replacement tissues, while its decrease confirms inflammation or pancreatitis. The explicitness and specificity of the changes themselves may indicate the presence of other diseases, various neoplasms, abscesses, as well as their consequences.

Diffuse changes in the liver such as fatty infiltration

Fatty infiltration of the liver occurs due to the accumulation of fat in it. Such changes occur for various reasons, including exposure to alcohol, certain medications and other factors. This is a harmless disease if treated on time. In the most severe cases, such a liver disease can lead to death of the patient.

Clinical symptoms and diagnosis

Symptoms

In the first stages, the patient will not feel pronounced symptoms, since minor changes in the liver will occur. But after the first symptoms appear, it is better to immediately contact a specialist.

Fatty infiltration has the following symptoms:

first of all, swelling appears throughout the body, the arms and legs become soft, and the abdominal area becomes unnaturally round;

the volume of the liver increases: with its normal volume of 1.5 kilograms, it can reach 5 kilograms;
Nausea and vomiting appear, which causes loss of appetite;
body temperature may increase;
there is a pain syndrome that manifests itself upon palpation of the right lower hypochondrium.

Such symptoms are caused by the fact that changes that have occurred in the liver affect the quality of its functions.

Diagnostics

The diagnosis that reveals fatty infiltration will be as follows.

The first thing the specialist does is conduct an external examination of the patient. This disease can be detected during an external examination, when puffiness and swelling of the body is observed. In addition, the lower hypochondrium is palpated, and if the liver is enlarged, the doctor will feel it, and the patient will feel pain when pressing on this organ.

External liver diagnostics do not confirm this diagnosis. In order to determine it, a computed tomography or ultrasound examination is prescribed. In the first case, diffuse changes will be detected. Diffuse changes in the liver are the heterogeneity of its tissues. But such changes do not mean that the patient may have this disease. Diffuse changes only confirm disturbances in this organ. In the second case, changes in this organ are also detected using ultrasound.
The most accurate test is a biopsy. It involves taking samples of liver tissue using a special needle. Then, during the study, fat cells and deposits in it are revealed.

What causes this disease and its treatment

It is important to know that this disease does not have serious consequences in the early stages, since with proper treatment, within a month the organ will fully recover and begin to perform its functions in full.

Causes

Having understood what fatty infiltration is, you need to pay special attention to what causative factors contribute to its development.