The Acute Abdomen

Question 1

What things should you consider with acute abdominal pain?

Answer 1

Peritonitis
Intestinal obstruction
Abdominal pain

Question 2

How many layers does the peritoneum have?

Answer 2

2

Question 3

What are potential routes of infection for peritonitis?

Answer 3

Perforation of the GI/biliary tract
Female genital tract
Penetration of abdominal wall
Haematongeous spread

Question 4

What is the most common cause of intestinal obstruction?

Answer 4

Cancer

Question 5

What are the cardinal features of intestinal obstruction?

Answer 5

• Pain
• Vomiting
• Distension
• Constipation
• Borborygmi

Question 6

What is borborygmi?

Answer 6

Rumbling or gurgling noise made by the movement of fluid and gas in the intestines

Question 7

What does the symptoms of intestinal obstruction depend on?

Answer 7

Size

Question 8

What characters of pain are there?

Answer 8

Visceral
Somatic
Referred

Question 9

What type of pain normally presents with systemic symptoms?

Answer 9

Visceral pain

Question 10

What type of pain usually presents without systemic symptoms?

Answer 10

Somatic

Question 11

What is the management of the acute abdomen?

Answer 11

o	Assess (+resuscitate)
o	Investigate 
o	Observe
o	Treat
o	History 
o	Examination 
o	Investigation

Question 12

What ward tests should be carried out for the acute abdomen?

Answer 12

Urine

Question 13

What lab tests should be carried out for the acute abdomen?

Answer 13

FBC
U+E
LFT

Question 14

When is active observation useful?

Answer 14

When a diagnosis is uncertain and the risk of alternative intervention is greater