Nutrición artificial en la pancreatitis aguda

The most frequent etiologies of acute pancreatitis are gallstones and alcohol consumption. Although the clinical course is mild in 80% of patients, severe pancreatitis accompanied by pancreatic necrosis, abscess or pseudocyst, with multiple organ dysfunction and an exaggerated hypermetabolic response, develop in 20% and it is these patients who will require more complex treatment with intensive nutritional support. The present update reviews the physiopathology of artificial nutrition in acute pancreatitis. The clinical studies published in the last few years provide sufficient scientific evidence to allow the use of enteral nutrition to be recommended over parenteral nutrition in acute pancreatitis due to the lower rate of overall complications and sepsis and reduced cost associated with this treatment modality.