Approach to the Patient with Abdominal Pain

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana Sajed
Keyword(s):  
Computed Tomography ◽  
Abdominal Pain ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Acute Abdominal Pain ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Abdominal Ultrasonography ◽  
Pediatric Populations ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasonography

Abdominal pain is the most common presenting complaint in the emergency department (ED), accounting for nearly 8% of ED visits. Although many chronic conditions may cause pain in the abdomen, acute abdominal pain, defined as undiagnosed pain present for less than 1 week, is of greatest concern to the emergency practitioner. For many reasons, acute abdominal pain is often diagnostically challenging. Abdominal pain may be due to numerous causes, including gastrointestinal, genitourinary, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and other sources. Symptoms may fluctuate or change in nature, and the quality of pain can be difficult for the patient to describe. Physical examination findings, although important, are variable and can even be misleading. Despite being such a common presenting complaint, misdiagnosis is not uncommon and results in a high percentage of medicolegal actions in both and adult and pediatric populations. Key words: abdominal computed tomography, abdominal pain, abdominal ultrasonography, pain management, point-of-care ultrasonography

Approach to the Patient with Abdominal Pain

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dana Sajed
Keyword(s):  
Computed Tomography ◽  
Abdominal Pain ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Acute Abdominal Pain ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Abdominal Ultrasonography ◽  
Pediatric Populations ◽  
Ed Visits ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasonography

Abdominal pain is the most common presenting complaint in the emergency department (ED), accounting for nearly 8% of ED visits. Although many chronic conditions may cause pain in the abdomen, acute abdominal pain, defined as undiagnosed pain present for less than 1 week, is of greatest concern to the emergency practitioner. For many reasons, acute abdominal pain is often diagnostically challenging. Abdominal pain may be due to numerous causes, including gastrointestinal, genitourinary, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and other sources. Symptoms may fluctuate or change in nature, and the quality of pain can be difficult for the patient to describe. Physical examination findings, although important, are variable and can even be misleading. Despite being such a common presenting complaint, misdiagnosis is not uncommon and results in a high percentage of medicolegal actions in both and adult and pediatric populations. This review contains 5 figures, 8 tables, and 92 references Key words: abdominal computed tomography, abdominal pain, abdominal ultrasonography, pain management, point-of-care ultrasonography

scholarly journals Role of emergency physician–performed ultrasound in the differential diagnosis of abdominal pain

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 79-86
Author(s):  
Nalan Kozaci ◽  
Mustafa Avci ◽  
Gul Tulubas ◽  
Ertan Ararat ◽  
Omer Faruk Karakoyun ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Abdominal Pain ◽  
Emergency Physician ◽  
Gold Standard ◽  
Acute Abdominal Pain ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Final Diagnosis ◽  
Free Fluid ◽  
Emergency Physicians ◽  
Abdominal Ultrasonography

Objectives: This prospective study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of bedside point-of-care abdominal ultrasonography performed by emergency physician in patients with non-traumatic acute abdominal pain. Methods: The patients, who were admitted to emergency department due to abdominal pain, were included in this study. The emergency physician obtained a routine history, physical examination, blood draws, and ordered diagnostic imaging. After the initial clinical examinations, all the patients underwent ultrasonography for abdominal pathologies by emergency physician and radiologist, respectively. Point-of-care abdominal ultrasonography compared with abdominal ultrasonography performed by radiologist as the gold standard. Results: The study included 122 patients. Gallbladder and appendix pathologies were the most commonly detected in the abdominal ultrasonography. Compared with abdominal ultrasonography, point-of-care abdominal ultrasonography was found to have 89% sensitivity and 94% specificity in gallbladder pathologies; 91% sensitivity and 91% specificity in acute appendicitis; 79% sensitivity and 97% specificity in abdominal free fluid; 83% sensitivity and 96% specificity in ovarian pathologies. Compared to final diagnosis, preliminary diagnoses of emergency physicians were correct in 92 (75.4%) patients. Conclusion: This study showed that emergency physicians were successful in identifying abdominal organ pathologies with point-of-care abdominal ultrasonography after training.

scholarly journals Conservative Treatment of Spontaneous Rectus Sheath Hematomas: Single Center Experience and Literature Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Banu Karapolat ◽  
Halil Afsin Tasdelen ◽  
Hatice Ayca Ata Korkmaz
Keyword(s):  
Computed Tomography ◽  
Abdominal Pain ◽  
Acute Abdominal Pain ◽  
Correct Diagnosis ◽  
Rectus Sheath ◽  
Length Of Hospital Stay ◽  
Initial Symptom ◽  
Abdominal Ultrasonography ◽  
Palpable Mass ◽  
Lower Quadrant

Introduction. Spontaneous rectus sheath hematoma (SRSH) is characterized by bleeding within the rectus abdominis muscle sheath, one of the rare causes of acute abdominal pain. Early diagnosis is imperative in SRSH to prevent complications and the treatment is usually conservative. We intended to present in this study our experience with SRSH patients with respect to diagnostic evaluation and management of their disease. Materials and Methods. In this retrospective study, 14 patients who had received treatment for SRSH in our clinic between January 2012 and December 2017 were assessed in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics, comorbidities, laboratory parameters, diagnostic approach methods, treatment practices, length of hospital stay, and patient outcomes. Results. The patients consisted of 10 (71.4%) females and 4 males (28.6%). The age of the patients ranged between 47 and 93 with a mean age of 66.5 ± 12.1. Anticoagulant treatments were being administered to 5 (35.7%) patients, antiplatelet treatments to 4 (28.5%) patients, and both anticoagulant and antiplatelet treatments to 4 (28.5%) patients. The most common triggering factor was severe cough and the most common initial symptom acute abdominal pain (71.4%). In physical examinations, the entire patients had generalized abdominal tenderness, 10 (71.4%) voluntary guarding and 7 (50%) a right lower quadrant mass. The diagnosis was confirmed by abdominal ultrasonography and computed tomography. Based on the computed tomography findings, the disease was classified as Type 2 found in 9 (64.3%) patients, Type 1 in 3 (21.4%) patients, and Type 3 in 2 (14.2%) patients. All the patients were treated conservatively. They were hospitalized for 1 to 23 days. There was no mortality. All the patients were followed up between 3 months and 2 years and no recurrence was recorded. Conclusion. Considering the presence of SRSH particularly in older female patients who use anticoagulant drugs and have newly developed an abdominal pain and a palpable mass after coughing spells is the key to make an early and correct diagnosis and to prevent possible morbidity and mortality with an appropriate treatment method.

scholarly journals Point-of-care ultrasonography for the diagnosis of small bowel obstruction in the emergency department

CJEM ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 206-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Guttman ◽  
Michael B. Stone ◽  
Heidi H. Kimberly ◽  
Joshua S. Rempell
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Abdominal Pain ◽  
Small Bowel ◽  
Small Bowel Obstruction ◽  
Bowel Obstruction ◽  
Acute Abdominal Pain ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Plain Radiography ◽  
Common Cause ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasonography

AbstractSmall bowel obstruction (SBO) is a common cause of acute abdominal pain presenting to the emergency department (ED). Although the literature is limited, point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) has been found to have superior diagnostic accuracy for SBO compared to plain radiography; however, it is rarely used in North America for this. We present the case of a middle-aged man who presented with abdominal pain where POCUS by the emergency physician early in the hospital course expedited the diagnosis of SBO and led to earlier surgical consultation. The application of POCUS for SBO is easily learned and applied in the ED. POCUS for SBO may obviate the need for plain radiography and expedite patient care.

Point-of-Care Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Acute Abdominal Pain

2019 ◽  
pp. 383-401
Author(s):  
Francesca Cortellaro ◽  
Cristiano Perani ◽  
Linda Guarnieri ◽  
Laura Ferrari ◽  
Michela Cazzaniga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Abdominal Pain ◽  
Acute Abdominal Pain ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Point Of Care Ultrasound

scholarly journals Computed Tomography Imaging in Lemmel Syndrome: A Report of Two Cases

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Giulia Frauenfelder ◽  
Annamaria Maraziti ◽  
Vincenzo Ciccone ◽  
Giuliano Maraziti ◽  
Oliviero Caleo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Computed Tomography ◽  
Abdominal Pain ◽  
Bile Duct ◽  
Common Bile Duct ◽  
Acute Abdominal Pain ◽  
Imaging Modality ◽  
Biliary Duct ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Common ◽  
Solid Lesions

Lemmel syndrome is a rare and misdiagnosed cause of acute abdominal pain due to a juxtapapillary duodenal diverticulum causing mechanical obstruction of the common bile duct. Frequently, patients suffering from Lemmel syndrome have a history of recurrent access to the emergency room for acute abdominal pain referable to a biliopancreatic obstruction, in the absence of lithiasis nuclei or solid lesions at radiological examinations. Ultrasonography (US) may be helpful in evaluation of upstream dilatation of extra-/intra-hepatic biliary duct, but computed tomography (CT) is the reference imaging modality for the diagnosis of periampullary duodenal diverticula compressing the intrapancreatic portion of the common bile duct. Recognition of this entity is crucial for targeted, timely therapy avoiding mismanagement and therapeutic delay. The aim of this paper is to report CT imaging findings and our experience in two patients affected by Lemmel syndrome.

Unscheduled Revisits after Diagnosis of Abdominal Pain at Emergency Department, Mukdahan Hospital

2021 ◽  
Vol 104 (Suppl. 1) ◽  
pp. S40-S43
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Abdominal Pain ◽  
Patient Care ◽  
Acute Abdominal Pain ◽  
Signs And Symptoms ◽  
Discharge System ◽  
Effective Discharge ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Pain Patients

Background: Abdominal pain is a common complaint for patients revisiting the Emergency Department (ED). Evaluating the cause of the revisit can improve the quality of ED patient care. Objective: We aimed to analyzed unscheduled revisits after diagnosis of abdominal pain at emergency department. Materials and Methods: In order to determine the characteristics of their abdominal pain and the causes for the revisits, the charts of 90 patients were reviewed. These patients had experienced acute abdominal pain and had returned to the Emergency Department within 48 hours after their initial treatment during the period between January 2019 and December 2019. Results: During that time period, 44,000 patients visited the ED. Of these, 90 patients (0.2%) with acute abdominal pain or related symptoms had revisited the ED within the following 48 hours. Most of these patients had been 20 to 60 years of age and had had no co-morbid diseases. Almost half of patient revisits had occurred during the evening shift (45.6%). There were 74% of these patients, who had been admitted to hospital for observation or for procedures. No in-hospital mortality was reported for this study. The signs and symptoms of abdominal pain in these patients had not been specific. The factors, which most often contributed to the ED revisits, had been inappropriate consultations and inappropriate discharges or advises. Conclusion: The majority of the acute abdominal pain patients, who revisited the ED within 48 hours, had been admitted. The most common cause of revisits had been inappropriate consultations and inappropriate discharges. Improving ED patient care can be managed by contributing to effective consultations and to establishing an effective discharge system for the ED. Keywords: Revisits, Emergency medicine department, Acute abdominal pain

Routine versus selective computed tomography in non-traumatic acute abdominal pain: meta-analysis of randomised trials

2020 ◽  
Vol 405 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-291
Author(s):  
Shahab Hajibandeh ◽  
Mohamed Loutfi ◽  
Shahin Hajibandeh ◽  
Adel Abulkhir ◽  
Sheik Rehman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Computed Tomography ◽  
Abdominal Pain ◽  
Acute Abdominal Pain ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Randomised Trials
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