1. Chronic pancreatitis represents a continuous inflammatory process of the pancreas resulting in permanent endocrine and exocrine dysfunction.
2. Chronic pancreatitis most commonly presents with abdominal pain in 95% of cases, along with weight loss, steatorrhea, and diabetes mellitus in some cases.
3. Diagnosis involves tests of pancreatic function like secretin stimulation tests and fecal elastase, as well as imaging with CT, MRI, and ERCP to detect features like pancreatic enlargement, calcifications, and ductal abnormalities.