Abstract
This chapter highlights infectious complications in acute pancreatitis (AP). Patients with AP have two types of diseases. Type 1 is edematous or mild, nonnecrotic pancreatitis, which is usually not associated with persistent or multiorgan system failure (MOSF) that lasts more than 48 hours. Type 2 is necrotizing pancreatitis, which is often associated with persistent organ system failure (more than 48 hours) and is prone to development of pancreatic infection. Infected pancreatic necrosis in AP patients was found to occur by routine use of CTguided fine needle aspiration (FNA) within 14 days of hospital admission. Recognition of infection in patients with necrotizing pancreatitis is based primarily on clinical suspicion and imaging. The chapter then considers the role of enteral nutrition to prevent infection.