What is steatorrhea?

Fat malabsorption: Steatorrhea means that there is fat in the stool. The pancreas secretes an enzyme, lipase, into the small intestine in response to ingestion of a fatty meal. The secretion of lipase is impaired when the pancreas is affected by conditions like pancreatitis, gall stones that get stuck, or pancreas cancer. Other causes exist, such as infection of the small intestine or crohn disease.

Fat in the stool: Either it cannot be digested by pancreatic enzymes, or it cannot be absorbed through the gut. It can be detected in the office and confirmed if needed by labs. This tends to produce really nasty stools and also over the long run will prevent you from getting vitamins a d e and k from the diet.