A narrative review of the mechanism of acute pancreatitis and recent advances in its clinical management

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common gastrointestinal disease with a high risk of mortality. Recently, the exosome and its potential regulatory role in the progression of AP has garnered the interest of researchers. However, effective drug interventions and therapeutic targets for AP remain to be established. Treatment approaches for AP have undergone considerable changes in the recent years: there is a greater preference for minimally invasive therapy (as primary treatment), multidisciplinary participation and the step-up approach. We aimed to discuss AP mechanism and the recent advancement in its treatment strategies to manage AP better in clinical practice.