General Surgery

20 learning units • 100 chapter sections • 200 explained questions. Assess surgical disease, recognise complications and connect intervention with safe recovery and follow-up.

Original RAHBAR study material for the Year 4 learning pathway. Clinical cases support supervised undergraduate learning. Treatment choices, doses and procedures must follow current local protocols and the responsible clinical team. References & further reading ↓

MODULE 14 / 20

Pancreatitis & Pancreatic Surgical Disease

Assess pancreatitis by organ function and complications, and recognise pancreatic malignancy and nutritional consequences.

Choose an answer and check it immediately. Change your choice to try again. This is a self-study exercise; results are not saved.

Question 01. What commonly establishes acute pancreatitis? A. Lipase alone regardless of contextB. A gallstone alone without symptomsC. Alcohol exposure aloneD. Two of characteristic pain, enzyme elevation and compatible imaging

Question 02. Which best indicates severe pancreatitis risk? A. Lipase magnitude aloneB. Hair colourC. A normal previous admission aloneD. Organ dysfunction and clinical trajectory

Question 03. Should every pancreatitis patient be kept fasting for a prolonged period? A. Yes, until all enzymes are normalB. No, feed appropriately when safe and toleratedC. Yes, for a fixed monthD. Only parenteral nutrition is acceptable

Question 04. Are prophylactic antibiotics indicated for every sterile pancreatitis episode? A. NoB. Yes, universallyC. Only because lipase is highD. Yes, even without infection

Question 05. What should fluid treatment in pancreatitis involve? A. Repeated assessment of perfusion and overloadB. Unlimited fixed-rate resuscitationC. No monitoring of urine outputD. Ignoring cardiac and renal disease

Question 06. When may urgent ERCP be appropriate in gallstone pancreatitis? A. Every mild improving episodeB. Associated cholangitis or persistent duct obstructionC. A normal duct and no obstruction by definitionD. Isolated enzyme elevation alone

Question 07. Does sterile pancreatic necrosis automatically require immediate surgery? A. YesB. Only the size of the skin incision mattersC. Yes, before any organ assessmentD. No

Question 08. Why identify the cause of pancreatitis? A. Every episode has the same causeB. It replaces severity assessmentC. To guide treatment and reduce recurrenceD. Only the pain score matters

Question 09. What can chronic pancreatitis cause? A. Permanent protection from weight lossB. Only acute fever without sequelaeC. Guaranteed normal exocrine functionD. Malabsorption and diabetes

Question 10. Painless jaundice with weight loss should prompt assessment for what? A. Pancreatic or other malignant biliary obstructionB. Simple reflux aloneC. Uncomplicated haemorrhoidsD. A benign diagnosis without testing

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References & Further Reading

Read the relevant guideline sections alongside these original clinical teaching cases. Local pathways, available services and individual patient factors determine care.

NICE NG104 — Pancreatitis

Reference review: 27 September 2026. Consult current local protocols for prescribing, procedures and escalation.