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Acute abdomen

MedGen UID:
1674
•Concept ID:
C0000727
•
Sign or Symptom
Synonyms: Abdomen, Acute; Abdomens, Acute; Acute Abdomen; Acute Abdomens
SNOMED CT: Acute abdomen (9209005); Acute abdominal pain syndrome (9209005); Surgical abdomen (9209005)
 
HPO: HP:0033400

Definition

A sudden onset of abdominal pain with associated nausea or vomiting. The acute abdomen may be caused by an infection, inflammation, vascular occlusion, or obstruction. [from HPO]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVAcute abdomen

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Acute appendicitis: modern understanding of pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management.
Bhangu A, Søreide K, Di Saverio S, Assarsson JH, Drake FT
Lancet 2015 Sep 26;386(10000):1278-1287. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)00275-5. PMID: 26460662
Treatment of acute abdominal pain in the emergency room: a systematic review of the literature.
Falch C, Vicente D, Häberle H, Kirschniak A, Müller S, Nissan A, Brücher BL
Eur J Pain 2014 Aug;18(7):902-13. Epub 2014 Jan 22 doi: 10.1002/j.1532-2149.2014.00456.x. PMID: 24449533
Diagnostic approach and management of acute abdominal pain.
Abdullah M, Firmansyah MA
Acta Med Indones 2012 Oct;44(4):344-50. PMID: 23314978

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Acute abdomen in pediatric radiology.
Lochbühler N, Bölle P, Müller-Abt P
Rofo 2024 May;196(5):451-462. Epub 2023 Dec 22 doi: 10.1055/a-2193-0205. PMID: 38134901
Dengue Infections and the Surgical Patient.
Jayarajah U, Lahiru M, De Zoysa I, Seneviratne SL
Am J Trop Med Hyg 2021 Jan;104(1):52-59. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0983. PMID: 33200725Free PMC Article
Intraabdominal Infections in Older Adults.
Berlin A, Johanning JM
Clin Geriatr Med 2016 Aug;32(3):493-507. Epub 2016 Apr 18 doi: 10.1016/j.cger.2016.02.002. PMID: 27394019
Abdominal emergencies in pediatrics.
Coca Robinot D, Liébana de Rojas C, Aguirre Pascual E
Radiologia 2016 May;58 Suppl 2:80-91. Epub 2016 Mar 31 doi: 10.1016/j.rx.2016.02.003. PMID: 27041066
Laparoscopy in the acute abdomen.
Navez B, Navez J
Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol 2014 Feb;28(1):3-17. Epub 2013 Dec 4 doi: 10.1016/j.bpg.2013.11.006. PMID: 24485251

Diagnosis

Imaging of acute abdomen in cancer patients.
Morani AC, Hanafy AK, Marcal LP, Subbiah V, Le O, Bathala TK, Elsayes KM
Abdom Radiol (NY) 2020 Aug;45(8):2287-2304. doi: 10.1007/s00261-019-02332-5. PMID: 31758230
The Practice Guidelines for Primary Care of Acute Abdomen 2015.
Mayumi T, Yoshida M, Tazuma S, Furukawa A, Nishii O, Shigematsu K, Azuhata T, Itakura A, Kamei S, Kondo H, Maeda S, Mihara H, Mizooka M, Nishidate T, Obara H, Sato N, Takayama Y, Tsujikawa T, Fujii T, Miyata T, Maruyama I, Honda H, Hirata K
Jpn J Radiol 2016 Jan;34(1):80-115. doi: 10.1007/s11604-015-0489-z. PMID: 26678269
Acute abdomen.
Mearelli F, Casarsa C, Biolo G
Eur J Intern Med 2014 Nov;25(9):e103-4. doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2014.06.012. PMID: 25023921
Laparoscopy in the acute abdomen.
Navez B, Navez J
Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol 2014 Feb;28(1):3-17. Epub 2013 Dec 4 doi: 10.1016/j.bpg.2013.11.006. PMID: 24485251
Diagnostic approach and management of acute abdominal pain.
Abdullah M, Firmansyah MA
Acta Med Indones 2012 Oct;44(4):344-50. PMID: 23314978

Therapy

Dengue Infections and the Surgical Patient.
Jayarajah U, Lahiru M, De Zoysa I, Seneviratne SL
Am J Trop Med Hyg 2021 Jan;104(1):52-59. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.20-0983. PMID: 33200725Free PMC Article
Acute Appendicitis in Childhood and Adulthood.
Téoule P, Laffolie J, Rolle U, Reissfelder C
Dtsch Arztebl Int 2020 Nov 6;117(45):764-774. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2020.0764. PMID: 33533331Free PMC Article
Acute abdomen.
Mearelli F, Casarsa C, Biolo G
Eur J Intern Med 2014 Nov;25(9):e103-4. doi: 10.1016/j.ejim.2014.06.012. PMID: 25023921
Laparoscopy in the acute abdomen.
Navez B, Navez J
Best Pract Res Clin Gastroenterol 2014 Feb;28(1):3-17. Epub 2013 Dec 4 doi: 10.1016/j.bpg.2013.11.006. PMID: 24485251
Acute cholecystitis.
Sharp KW
Surg Clin North Am 1988 Apr;68(2):269-79. doi: 10.1016/s0039-6109(16)44477-4. PMID: 3279546

Prognosis

ACUTE ABDOMEN IN INTENSIVE CARE UNIT: ETIOLOGY, COMORBIDITY AND SEVERITY OF 1,523 PATIENTS.
Almeida Filho GF, Silva PPCE, Valverde Filho MT, Morais MCA, Chagas PBO, D'Oliveira RAC, Codes L, Bittencourt PL
Arq Bras Cir Dig 2023;36:e1778. Epub 2023 Dec 8 doi: 10.1590/0102-672020230060e1778. PMID: 38088724Free PMC Article
Causes of acute abdomen, preferred imaging methods, and prognoses in geriatric patients presenting to the emergency department with abdominal pain.
Ilgar M, Akçiçek M, Ekmekyapar M
Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992) 2022;68(12):1726-1729. Epub 2022 Nov 28 doi: 10.1590/1806-9282.20220882. PMID: 36449801Free PMC Article
The Role of Laparoscopy in the Acute Neonatal Abdomen.
Burgmeier C, Schier F
Surg Innov 2016 Dec;23(6):635-639. Epub 2016 Apr 28 doi: 10.1177/1553350616646476. PMID: 27130647
A twist in the tale.
Malhotra R, Daniel R, Besarovic S
BMJ Case Rep 2013 Oct 25;2013 doi: 10.1136/bcr-2012-007905. PMID: 24163405Free PMC Article
Vasculitis in children.
Kumar L, Singh S
Indian J Pediatr 1996 May-Jun;63(3):323-34. doi: 10.1007/BF02751524. PMID: 10830007

Clinical prediction guides

Acute abdomen in pediatric radiology.
Lochbühler N, Bölle P, Müller-Abt P
Rofo 2024 May;196(5):451-462. Epub 2023 Dec 22 doi: 10.1055/a-2193-0205. PMID: 38134901
Acute abdominal pain in older adults: a clinical and diagnostic challenge.
Sangiorgio G, Biondi A, Basile F, Vacante M
Minerva Chir 2020 Jun;75(3):169-172. doi: 10.23736/S0026-4733.20.08266-8. PMID: 32550726
Suspicion of acute appendicitis in adults. The value of ultrasound in our hospital.
Benedetto G, Ferrer Puchol MD, Llavata Solaz A
Radiologia (Engl Ed) 2019 Jan-Feb;61(1):51-59. Epub 2018 Oct 2 doi: 10.1016/j.rx.2018.08.007. PMID: 30290969
Acute appendicitis: modern understanding of pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management.
Bhangu A, Søreide K, Di Saverio S, Assarsson JH, Drake FT
Lancet 2015 Sep 26;386(10000):1278-1287. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)00275-5. PMID: 26460662
Gallbladder volvulus.
Arslan ED, Hakbilir O, Uyanik B, Oztürk B, Kaya E, Oztürk D
J Pak Med Assoc 2012 Sep;62(9):965-6. PMID: 23139986

Recent systematic reviews

Volvulus of the Transverse Colon.
Huerta S, Pickett ML, Mottershaw AM, Gupta P, Pham T
Am Surg 2023 May;89(5):1930-1943. Epub 2021 Aug 30 doi: 10.1177/00031348211041564. PMID: 34461758
Acute abdomen in multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children: A systematic review.
Rouva G, Vergadi E, Galanakis E
Acta Paediatr 2022 Mar;111(3):467-472. Epub 2021 Dec 3 doi: 10.1111/apa.16178. PMID: 34751972
Acute abdominal pain in older adults: a clinical and diagnostic challenge.
Sangiorgio G, Biondi A, Basile F, Vacante M
Minerva Chir 2020 Jun;75(3):169-172. doi: 10.23736/S0026-4733.20.08266-8. PMID: 32550726
Pulmonary complications of acute pancreatitis.
Iyer H, Elhence A, Mittal S, Madan K, Garg PK
Expert Rev Respir Med 2020 Feb;14(2):209-217. Epub 2019 Dec 3 doi: 10.1080/17476348.2020.1698951. PMID: 31779502
Treatment of acute abdominal pain in the emergency room: a systematic review of the literature.
Falch C, Vicente D, Häberle H, Kirschniak A, Müller S, Nissan A, Brücher BL
Eur J Pain 2014 Aug;18(7):902-13. Epub 2014 Jan 22 doi: 10.1002/j.1532-2149.2014.00456.x. PMID: 24449533

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