[Causes of death and some etiologic aspects of acute and chronic pancreatitis].

The study gives a survey of the causes of death of 106 patients suffering from acute pancreatitis and of 125 chronic pancreatitis cases. They account for 1.41% and 1.69% respectively of the autopsies performed by us. In 76.4% of the 106 cases of acute pancreatitis the disease was the main cause directly responsible for the death. Chronic pancreatitis was the main underlying disease or a significant secondary condition in the chronic group. The results of etiologic analysis are in acute pancreatitis: 67.9% biliary tract changes, 7.5% alcohol abuses and 20.8% postoperative damages. Alcoholism (44 cases) was important by patients with chronic pancreatitis.