Non- Traumatic Acute Abdomen Flashcards
Acute abdomen =
Anabdominal condition of abrupt onset associated with severe abdominal pain ( resulting from inflammation, obstruction, perforation, infarction, rupture)
- requires urgent evaluation and diagnosis bc it may indicate a condition that requires urgent surgical intervention
Visceral pain=
- comes from abdominal/ pelvic viscera
- transmitted by visceral afferent nerves ( in response to stretching or excessive contraction)
- dull in nature and vague
- poorly localized
Somatic pain=
- comes from parietal peritoneum ( which is innervated by somatic nerves )
- sharp in nature
- well localized
- made worse by movement , better by lying still
Referred pain=
- pain felt some distance away from its origin
- mechanism not clear
- ex. Gallbladder inflammation can irritate diaphragm which is innervated by C3,4,5. Dermatomes of these spinal cord segments supplies the shoulder, hence referred shoulder tip pain
Causes of acute abdomen=
1) intestinal : acute appendicitis, perforated peptic ulcer, diverticulitis, intestinal obstruction, strangulated hernia
2) hepatobiliary: biliary colic, cholecystitis , cholangitis , pancreatitis
3) vascular: Ruptured AAA, acute mesenteric ischemia , ischemic colitis
4) urological: renal colic , UTI, testicular torsion, AUR
5) gynecological: ectopic pregnancy, ovarian cyst pathology, salpingitis
6) medical : pneumonia, MI, DKA, sickle cell crisis
The history of acute abdomen:
🔸abdominal pain - will help in diagnosis 🔸SOCRATES : Site and duration Onset Character Radiation Associated symptoms Timing Exacerbating and alleviating Severity
Acute abdomen examination:
🔸inspection: Scars / asymmetry/ distention 🔸palpation: Point of maximal tenderness Features of peritonitis Mass Specific signs ( rovsing’s, murphy’s, cullen’s, grey turner’s) 🔸percussion: Shifting dullness/ tympanic 🔸auscultation: Bowel sounds - absent , normal, hyperactive, tinkling
Investigations for acute abdomen:
▪️simple invest.:
Blood tests, urine dipstick, pregnancy test,ecg, e. Cxr/ AXR
▪️more complex invest:
Uss, contrast studies, endoscopy, CT, MRI
3 Emergency surgeries without waisting time on tests and investigations:
1) generalized peritonitis on examination
2) perforation
3) irreducible and tender hernia
PERITONITIS =
- infection or rarely some other type of inflammation of the peritoneum ( may be localized or generalized)
Peritonism:
Refers to a specific features found on abdominal examination in those with peritonitis:
🔸tenderness with guarding, rebound/ percussion tenderness
🔸is eased by lying still & exacerbated by any movement
*generalized peritonitis is a surgical emergency
Causes of generalized peritonitis:
▪️infective( most common cause)- due to perforations of the viscus
▪️non infective - leakage of certain sterile body fluids into the peritoneum :
Gastric juice, bile , urine, pancreatic juice , blood ,
2 types of intra abdominal anfections :
1) caused by spread of an infection from blood or LNs
2) caused by entry of bacteria or enzymes into the peritoneum from GI of biliary tract
Clinical features of peritonitis:
1) pain - constant and severe , worse on movement , eased by lying still
2) signs of ileus : distention, vomiting, tympanic abdomen with reduced sounds
3) signs of systemic shock: tachycardia , tachypnea, hT, low urine output
Resuscitation of generalized peritonitis:
- ABC
- oxygen
- fluid resuscitation
- Iv anbtx
- analgezia
- surgery
Intestinal obstruction:
-significant mechanic impairment or complete arrest of the passage of contents through the intestine due to blockage
abdominal bowel sounds:
▪️present= mechanical obstruction
▪️not present = adynamic obstruction (no gas under the diaphragm)/ perforation ( gas under the diaphragm)
Dynamic vs adynamic obstruction:
Dynamic= peristalsis, mechanical obstruction Adynamic= paralytic ileus, non propulsive mesenteric vascular obstruction, pseudo obstruction
Dynamic obstruction causes=
Pain, distention, vomiting, absolute constipation
1) intraluminal- impaction, FB, bezoars gallstones
2) intramural- strictures , malignancy
3) extraluminal- bands/adhesions, hernia, volvulus , intussuception
Adynamic obstruction causes=
1) paralytic ileus
2) mesenteric vascular occlusion
3) pseudo obstruction