Acute Abdomen

Question 1

What is an Acute Abdomen?

Answer 1

New abdominal pain with <10 days duration

Question 2

How do you treat an acute abdomen?

Answer 2

Tx:

• NBM
• FLuids
• analgesia
• Anti emetics
• Antibiotics
• Monitor vitals and UO

Question 3

What are the investigations for an acute abdomen?

Answer 3

Inx:

• FBC/ U&E/ LFT/ CRP/ Clotting/ G&S/ X-match
• Erect CXR - CT

Question 4

What are the causes of an acute abdomen?

Answer 4

Peritonitis
Appendicitis
Pancreatitis
DIverticulitis
Cholecystitis
(think of regions)

etc etc.

Question 5

What are common causes of peritonitis?

Answer 5

Duodenal ulcer
Diverticular disease
Intestinal obstruction

Question 6

What are features of peritonitis?

Answer 6

Pain comes on suddenly, well localised
Constant pain, but not a colicky pain
Aggravated by movement and breathing

Question 7

What are the types of pain?

Answer 7

Colic (particularly from intestinal obstruction)

• Small gut (more frequent pain, in midabdomen)
• Large gut (in lower abdomen i.e. hindgut structures, frequency of contractions reduced)

Non colicky