Acute Abdomen Flashcards
What is the definition of an acute abdomen?
Sudden onset of severe abdominal pain
- of less than 24 hour duration
Causes of intra-abdominal bleeding
Abdominal aortic aneurysm
Ruptured ectopic pregnancy
Bleeding gastric ulcer
Trauma
Clinical presentation of intra-abdominal bleeding
Hypovolemic shock
- Tachycardia
- Hypotension
- Pale and clammy
- Cool to touch
- Thread pulse
What is the definition of peritonitis?
Inflammation of the peritoneum
Causes of peritonitis
Perforation of abdominal viscus
- Peptic ulceration
- Small or large bowel obstruction
- Diverticular disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease
Peritonitis presentation
Lay completely still - not move abdomen and look unwell Tachycardia Rigid abdomen with percussion tenderness Involuntary guarding Reduced or absent bowel sounds
What consider when patient has severe pain out of proportion to clinical signs?
Ischaemic bowel disease
Ischaemic bowel presentation
Diffuse and constant pain
Examination often unremarkable
Definition of colic
Abdominal pain that crescendos to become very severe and then goes away completely
When is colic seen?
Ureteric obstruction
Bowel obstruction
Define peritonism
Localised inflammation of the peritoneum - usually due to inflammation of the viscus that irritates the visceral peritoneum
Presentation of peritonism
Abdominal pain that starts in one place before localising to another area
Epigastic abdominal pain
Peptic ulcer disease
Cholecystitis
Pancreatitis
Myocardial infarction
Peri-umbilical abdominal pain
Small bowel obstruction
Large bowel obstruction
Appendicitis
AAA
RUQ abdominal pain
Cholecystitis Pyelonephritis Ureteric colic Hepatitis Pneumonia
