Acute Abdomen Flashcards
What is an acute abdomen?
Sudden onset of severe abdominal pain of less than 24 hours duration
What is the most serious cause of intra-abdominal bleeding?
AAA
What can cause intra-abdominal bleeding?
ruptured ectopic pregnancy, bleeding gastric ulcer, trauma
What is peritonitis?
inflammation of the peritoneum
What is is the most common cause of generalised peritonitis?
Perforation of an abdominal viscus
How will patients act with generalised peritonitis?
lie completely still and do not move their abdomen, look unwell, opposite to renal colic where they move a lot
How would peritonitis feel on examination?
Rigid abdomen with percussion tenderness, involuntary guarding and reduced bowel sounds
If patients have ischaemic bowel what kind of pain would they feel?
Diffuse and constant
What is Colic?
Abdominal pain that crescendos to become very severe and then goes away completely
Why is Biliary colic not a true colic?
It does not go away completely but does get better and worse
What is peritonism?
Localised inflammation of the peritoneum, usually due to inflammation of a viscus that then irritates the visceral peritoneum- starts in one place then localises to another
What could pain in the right upper quadrant be from?
Cholecystitis, pyelonephritis, ureteric colic, hepatitis and pneumonia
What could pain in the left upper quadrant be from?
Gastric ulcers, pyelonephritis, ureteric colic, pneumonia
What could pain in the right lower quadrant be from?
Appendicitis, ureteric colic, inguinal hernia, IBD, UTI, gynaecological, testicular torsion
What could pain in the left lower quadrant be from?
Diverticulitis, ureteric colic, inguinal hernia, IBD, UTI, gynaecological, testicular torsion
