Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a frequent abdominal acute inflammatory disorder and the leading cause of hospital admissions in gastrointestinal units. Clinical manifestations of AP vary from a mild edematous form to severe fulminant pancreatitis with major devastating complications. To date, experimental therapeutic agents remain scarce for the treatment of this disease. Nutritional therapy with appropriate nutrient supplementation is key to limiting the acute inflammation and preventing and managing complications associated with AP. This chapter focuses on novel therapeutic agents for nutritional intervention including enteral versus parenteral nutrition strategies, and nutritional supplements such as probiotics, glutamine, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamins in the treatment of AP.
Part of the book: Multidisciplinary Management of Acute and Chronic Pancreatitis