Acute Abdomen Flashcards
What are the differentials for generalized abdominal pain
- Peritonitis,
- Ruptured AAA,
- Intestinal obstruction,
- Ischaemic colitis
What are the differentials for RUQ pain
- Biliary colic,
- Acute cholecystitis,
- Acute cholangitis
What are the differentials for epigastric pain
- Acute gastritis,
- Peptic ulcer disease,
- Pancreatitis,
- Ruptured AAA
What are the differentials for central abdominal pain
- Ruptured AAA,
- Intestinal obstruction,
- Ischaemic colitis,
- Early stages of appendicitis
What are the differentials for right iliac fossa pain?
- Acute appendicitis,
- Ectopic pregnancy,
- Ruptured ovarian cyst,
- Ovarian torsion,
- Meckel’s diverticulum
What are the differentials for left iliac fossa pain
- Diverticulitis,
- Ectopic pregnancy,
- Ruptured ovarian cyst,
- Ovarian torsion
What are the differentials for suprapubic pain
- Lower UTI,
- Acute urinary retention,
- PID
- Prostatitis
What are the differentials for loin to groin pain
- Renal colic,
- Ruptured AAA
- Pyelonephritis
What are the differentials for testicular pain
Torsion or epididymo-orchitis
What are signs of peritonitis?
- Guarding,
- Ridigity,
- Rebound tenderness,
- Coughing test,
- Percussion tenderness
|What is the initial assessment of an acute abdomen?
A-E assessment
What are the investigations for an acute abdomen?
- FBC,
-UEs, - LFTs,
- CRP
- Amylase,
- INR,
- Serum calcium,
- hCG,
- ABG,
- Lactate,
- Blood cultures,
- Abdo x ray,
- Erect chest x ray,
- Abdo ultrasound,
- CT scan
What is the management of an acute abdomen
- A-E assessment,
- Alert seniors,
- Nil by mouth,
- NG tube,]- IV fluids,
- IV antibiotics,
- Analgesia,
- Arrange investigations,
- VTE
What are the signs of peritonitis?
Abdominal rigidity
Involuntary abdominal guarding
Rebound tenderness
fever
vomiting
tachycardia
hypotension
What are the causes of peritonitis?
- Perforation of a hollow viscus eg, perforated oesophagus, perforated duodenal/gastric ulcer, perforated intestine.
- Infections eg, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
