Acute abdomen SDL Flashcards
What is an acute abdomen problem?
Often sudden onset severe abdominal pain
What presentations of acute abdomen problems need urgent attention?
Acute bleeding
Perforated viscus
Ischemic bowel
What are the different types of intra-abdominal bleeding?
Intra-luminal - Into GIT
Extra-luminal - into abdominal cavity
What are some common causes of intra-abdominal bleeding?
Ruptured ectopic pregnancy
Bleeding peptic ulcer
Traumatic injury
How may untreated acute bleeding of the abdomen present?
Hypovolemic shock
Clinical features - tachycardia, pale/clammy, hypotension
At this stage may or may not present with abdominal pain
What are the key features of treatment for acute intra-abdominal bleeding?
Blood products available - major haemorrhage protocol
Resuscitation
Early investigations and interventions
What are some common causes of gastrointestinal perforation?
Peptic ulcer disease
Untreated bowl obstruction
Diverticular disease
Inflammatory bowel disease
How do patients with located gastrointestinal perforation tend to present?
Localised pain and peritonitis
Tachycardia
Pyrexia
(May not look unwell)
How do patients with generalised peritonitis typically present?
Tachycardia +/- hypotension
Pyrexia
Rigid abdomen
(Look unwell)
What is the typical management plan for patients with suspected perforated viscus?
Urgent resuscitation
Cross sectional imagaing prior to final management decision
What is the key clinical symptoms of ischemic bowel?
Severe pain out of proportion to the clinical signs
Often severe and constant pain, otherwise unremarkable examination
What investigations can indicate a bowel obstruction?
Raised WCC and CRP
Raised lactate and acidosis
Definitive diagnosis via CT with intravenous contrasts
What is colic?
Abdominal pain the crescendos to very severe and then goes away completely.
What are the different types of colic?
Biliary colic
Uteric colic
Bowel obstruction
NOTE - hollow viscus pathology
Differentiate based on triggers, tomining, routine blood tests and imaging
What is peritonism?
Locaised inflammation of the peritoneum, often due to inflammation of the viscus that then irritates peritoneum
What is the typical pattern of pain in peritonism?
Pain starts in one place (Irritation of visceral peritoneum), then locaised to one area (irritation of parietal peritoneum) or becoming generalised
For example acute appendicitis.