I hope that your son really can stay off the drink and this is his lightbulb moment. My husband had pancreatitis in about 2008 or 09, and was hospitalised. I didn't know much about it then. He developed another bout in 2011 and spent 6 months in and out of hospital (including having his gall bladder removed). He eventually got the message and quit drinking - for a while. Of course, once he'd been out and "clear" for more than a month, he decided to drink again, and hasn't stopped since, sigh. He told me that the pancreatitis wasn't caused by the alcohol but an allergy to the codeine he was taking for his chronic back pain (true! Apparently it's very rare but can happen).
I personally am waiting for the other shoe to drop, as I too read up on pancreatitis and was blown away with what can happen.
Fingers crossed your son can stay clean.