Acute abdominal pain

Question 1

What are general causes of abdominal pain?

Answer 1

Inflammation
Perforation
Obstruction
Vascular
Urological
Trauma
Cardio-respiratory

Question 2

Inflammatory causes of abdominal pain

Answer 2

Appendicitis
Cholecystitis
GORD/peptic ulcer/gastritis
Acute pancreatitis
Diverticulitis
IBD (UC and Crohn's)
Urinary infection
Gynae causes

Question 3

Perforation causes of abdominal pain

Answer 3

Peptic ulcer disease
Diverticular disease
Bowel cancer
Obstruction/ischaemia
IBD

Question 4

Obstruction in abdominal pain

Answer 4

Small bowel - adhesions, hernia (internal/external), volvulus, intraluminal (gallstone ileus, FB), tumours

Large bowel - tumour, diverticular disease, volvulus, faecal impaction

Question 5

Vascular causes of abdominal pain

Answer 5

Aneurysms
Ischaemic bowel
Trauma

Question 6

Urological causes of abdominal pain

Answer 6

Acute/chronic urinary retention
UTIs
Testicular problems
Ureteric colic (caused by stone/calculus)

Question 7

Basic investigations in abdominal pain presentation

Answer 7

Blood tests - FBC, U&E’s, CRP, possibly glucose, amylase, LFTs
Urine dip
Pregnancy test
? CXR, AXR

Question 8

More specific tests in abdominal pain

Answer 8

USS (if pain mainly RUQ or lower abdomen in females)
CT scan
ECG
Endoscopy