Abdominal pain Flashcards
- MC Older male, smoker, atherosclerosis
- Sudden severe back or abd pain; HoTN; Pulsatile abdominal mass
- Syncope, pain localized to flank, groin, hip or abdomen possible
- Severe + abrupt ripping/tearing pain possible
- Femoral pulsations nml
- Retroperitoneal hemorrhage rarely present w/ external findings (Cullen’s, Grey-Turner’s, scrotal hematoma)
dx?
AAA
When would an AAA require emergent surgerical repair?
Symptomatic aneurysms and ≥ 5.0 cm
- GI bleeding - small or life-threatening
- H/o aortic grating at higher risk
- Duodenum MC site
- Hematemesis, melena, hematochezia
- High output cardiac failure with ↓ arterial blood flow distal to fistula
dx?
Aortoenteric fistulas
AAA
how would a Rupture into retroperitoneum present?
AAA
- Fibrosis → chronic contained rupture
- Appear nml, may have pain for long time before dx is made
MC incorrect initial dx of AAA? How would this present?
renal colic - Back pain, intraabdominal process, testicular torsion , GI bleeding
w/u for AAA?
findings?
If dx unclear:
-
Bedside abd US - >90% sensitivity
- Aortic rupture/retroperitoneal bleed not reliably identified - CT - delineates where aneurysm and any assoc rupture
- XR - calcified, bulging aortic contour (only in some)
- mgmt AAA?
- mgmt if small asx (3-5cm)? large (>5?)
- Consult vascular surgeon if rupture / aortoenteric fistula
- Fluids (for HoTN)
- Target SBP: 90 mmHg
- Transfuse PRBC if needed
- Pain control while avoiding HoTN
- Small asx (3-5cm): Refer to vascular surgeon
- Large (>5cm): ↑ risk for spontaneous rupture; close f/u
types of nonaortic large-artery aneurysms
- popliteal
- SC
- femoral
- femoral pseudoaneurysms
- iliac
- splenic
- hepatic
- Old, male, trauma, congenital disorders
- MC peripheral aneurysm
- Discomfort behind knee w/ swelling +/- DVT
dx?
mgmt?
- popliteal aneurym
- thrombolysis, ligation, arterial bypass, endovascular repair
- RF: Arteriosclerosis, thoracic outlet obstruction
- Pulsatile mass above/below clavicle
- Dysphagia, hoarseness
- Stridor
- chest pain
- UE fatigue / numbness & tingling
- limb ischemic sx
dx?
mgmt?
- subclavian aneurym
- surgical repair
- RF: Old, male, trauma, congenital disorders
- Pulsatile mass +/- pain
- Limb ischemic sx
- peripheral embolic sx
dx?
mgmt?
- femoral aneurym
- thrombolysis, ligation, arterial bypass, endovascular repair
- RF: Prior femoral artery cath, trauma, infection
- Pulsatile mass +/- pain
dx?
mgmt?
- Femoral pseudoaneurysm
- surgical repair
- RF: 40–60 y/o, HTN, fibrodysplasia,
- arteriosclerosis; no gender preference
- Flank pain
- Hematuria
- collecting system obstruction
- shock if ruptured
dx?
mgmt?
- renal aneurysm
- surgical repair, Nephrectomy
- RF: Old, female, HTN, congenital, arteriosclerosis, liver dz, multiparous; ↑ rupture w/ pregnancy
- Rapid onset;
- epigastric or LUQ pain first, then diffuse abd pain with rupture
- shock
dx?
mgmt?
- splenic aneurysms
- surgical repair, splenectomy
- RF: Infection, arteriosclerosis, trauma, vasculitis
- Obstructive jaundice
- hemobilia from rupture into CBD
- RUQ pain
- Peritonitis
- Upper GI bleed
dx?
mgmt?
- hepatic aneurysm
- surgical ligation, embolization
Blood dissects between intimal and adventitial layers of aorta
Aortic Dissection
RF for Aortic Dissection
- MC male, >50y, h/o HTN
- Chronic cocaine use
- h/o cardiac surgery
- Young - CTD, congenital heart dz, pregnancy; Marfan’s syndrome
- Acute CP
- Most severe at onset
- Radiates to back/scapula
- Sharp, ripping, tearing pain
- Syncope possible
- Location dependent
- Diastolic murmur of aortic insufficiency possible
- HTN and tachycardia common; HoTN possible
- ↓ pulsation in radial, femoral, or carotid arteries
- Neurologic sequelae
dx?
how do anterior vs abd/back pain differ?
aortic dissection
Anterior - ascending aorta
abd/back - descending aorta
aortic dissection classification?
Stanford Classification
- Type A - Ascending Aorta
- Type B - descending Aorta
presentation of Progressed dissection
- AV insufficiency
- coronary artery occlusion - MI
- carotid involvement - stroke sx
- occlusion of vertebral blood supply - paraplegia
- cardiac tamponade - shock and JVD
- compression of recurrent laryngeal nerve - hoarseness
- compression of superior cervical sympathetic ganglion - Horner’s syndrome.
w/u aortic dissection?
findings?
- D-Dimer
- CXR: MC - Abml aortic contour, widening mediastinum
- Deviated trachea, mainstem bronchi, esophagus, apical capping, pleural effusion, displacement of aortic intimal calcifications - Dx: CT w/ contrast; TEE
mgmt for aortic dissection
- Vascular / thoracic surgeon
- Fluids
- Esmolol/labetalol - Goal HR: 60-70; SBP: 100-120
- SBP >120: nitroprusside/nicardipine
3 types of pain
- Visceral: poorly localized; stretching of unmyelinated fibers of walls/capsules of organs
-
Parietal: localized; irritation of myelinated fibers of parietal pleura covering peritoneum
- tenderness & guarding → rigidity & rebound tenderness -
Referred: pain felt at a location distant to underlying cause
- MC perceived on ipsilateral side
2 classifications/categories
- Intra-abdominal: organ infection/inflammation, peritonitis, bowel obstruction, vascular disorders
- Extra-abdominal: Cardiac, thoracic, GU, neuro, metabolic, hematologic, infectious, toxicities - MC: DKA, alc ketoacidosis, PNA, PE, Herpes Zoster
pertinent PMHx/SHx
- steroids, abx (C. diff), NSAIDs (gastritis, ulcer/perforation)
- CV/PAD dz, afib, HF (AAA, mesenteric ischemia, atypical MI)
- Immunosupp
- Previous abd surgery
pertinent social hx
heavy alc, opiates, smoking
gradual onset, think what dx?
inflammatory, infectious/obstructive
sudden, severe onset, think what dx?
ischemia, dissection, perforation
if abd pain is constant/worsening for >6 hrs, think what dx?
surgical cause
pain improves after meals - what dx?
PUD
pain worse after meals - what dx
biliary colic
pain improves when upright and worse when supine - what dx
pancreatitis
pain worse with sudden movements and improves with stillness - what dx?
peritonitis
Pain alleviated by constant movement - what dx?
renal colic
vomiting occurring after onset of pain = what cause?
surgical cause
bilious vomiting - what cause?
obstruction distal to pylorus
coffee-ground or hematemesis - what dx?
PUD, varices, aortoenteric fistula (aortic aneurysm repair)
loose/watery diarrhea - what dx/cause?
infectious or diverticulitis
mucoid diarrhea - what dx?
inflammatory or infectious
blood diarrhea - what dx?
mesenteric ischemia or infectious
small scant amounts of stool/diarrhea - what dx?
bowel obstruction
possible GU sx
- Dysuria, hematuria - UTI, pyelonephritis, nephrolithiasis
- Female: vaginal bleeding or discharge, recent changes in menstruation, dyspareunia - vaginitis, PID, tubo-ovarian abscess, Fitz-Hugh Curtis syndrome, pregnancy
- Males: Penile discharge, scrotal pain/swelling, recent trauma - urethritis, testicular torsion, inguinal hernia
low temp w/ abd pain can be seen in what pt demographic?
infectious in elderly & neonates
> 50y
abd pain out of proportion to physical findings
dx?
Mesenteric ischemia
possible Auscultation findings
- Absence - peritonitis, BO
- hyperactive/high-pitched/tinkling - SBO
- hyperactive/medium-pitch - blood/inflammation within GI tract
- Bruit - AAA
goals of palpation
tenderness, guarding, masses, organomegaly, hernias
goal of light vs deep palpation? findings?
guarding
Voluntary vs involuntary
Involuntary → surgeon ASAP
peritoneal testings
- Rebound tenderness, rigidity, referred tenderness, cough pain - peritonitis dx; Rebound tenderness alone not the best
- Heel tap
- Jumping
Carnett sign
sit-up test: abd wall pain
Place finger at max abd tenderness found
pain w/ palpation at semisitting position = (+) abd wall syndrome
what does murphy’s sign test for
cholecystitis
what does psoas sign test for
retrocecal appendicitis
what does obturator sign test for
appendicitis
what does rovsing sign test for
appendicitis
CVA percussion tests for what
pyelonephritis
when abd pain is in the lower 1/2 of abd, do what exam?
pelvic/testicular exam
what are you trying to assess for DRE?
tenderness, bleeding, masses