Outpatient Versus Inpatient Management of Mild Acute Pancreatitis

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 years or older Diagnosis of acute pancreatitis based on at least two of three revised Atlanta (2012) criteria: characteristic abdominal pain; serum lipase or amylase ≥3× upper limit of normal; or characteristic imaging findings Classification as mild acute pancreatitis: SIRS score = 0 and HAPS score = 0 at emergency department presentation Ability to tolerate oral intake at the time of randomisation Provision of written informed consent Presence of a competent caregiver at home Residence within 30-45 minutes' travel time from the hospital Ability to communicate by telephone Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnancy or breastfeeding Inability to maintain oral intake for reasons unrelated to acute pancreatitis Acute pancreatitis attributable to tumour, post-ERCP intervention, or abdominal trauma Concurrent choledocholithiasis with or without cholangitis Chronic pancreatitis or history of recurrent acute pancreatitis (≥2 prior episodes) ASA physical status classification ≥ 3 Clinical or radiological features suggesting moderately severe or severe acute pancreatitis Alcohol withdrawal syndrome No competent caregiver at home Residence more than 30-45 minutes from the hospital Inability to communicate by telephone or equivalent means