Management of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency: Australasian Pancreatic Club recommendations
Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency occur due to a variety of pancreatic conditions including chronic pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, pancreatic cancer and pancreatic surgery. Pancreatic enzymes play a vital role in the digestion of fat and when there is a deficiency fat maldigestion and malabsorption occur resulting in steatorrhoea. This a the passage of frothy, foul-smelling buoyant stools that tend to stick in the toilet bowl. Other symptoms may occur like abdominal pain, flatulence and weight loss. If untreated fat malabsorption may result in micronutrients defeciency.