Acute pancreatitis. Gross clinical specimen of a pancreas with acute pancreatitis (inflammation) and a pseudocyst (centre left, yellow). The pancreas releases hormones such as insulin that regulate blood sugar, and secretes digestive enzymes into the duodenum. Acute pancreatitis causes severe pain with shock, its cause is not always known, but may be associated with gallstones or alcoholism. A psuedocyst often develops as a complication of acute pancreatitis. It is a pus-filled space without a proper lining in an organ. Treatments include surgical drainage (marsupialization) and drugs to aid the pancreatic functions.