approach emergency abdominal pain

Aortic dissection (AD) is a life-threatening medical emergency with a high mortality rate if misdiagnosed; therefore, an urgent and precise diagnosis is crucial for prompt treatment. This article presents a rare case report of AD with an atypical clinical presentation that led to delayed diagnosis and a complicated clinical course. Herein, we aim to contribute to the existing literature by providing insights into the varied presentations of AD and offering valuable lessons for clinicians faced with similar diagnostic scenarios...

BACKGROUND: Chronic abdominal pain (CAP) is a common and challenging to treat condition with a global prevalence of up to 25%. Despite extensive evaluation, approximately 40% of patients with CAP have an unknown diagnosis. Medications may be ineffective, and surgery is rarely indicated. Interventional treatment including sympathetic blocks, sympathetic neurolysis, and transversus abdominal plane (TAP) blocks may be an option, but their efficacy can wane over time. Neuromodulation has emerged as an option for these patients, as there is evidence of success with dorsal column spinal cord and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) stimulation...

INTRODUCTION: Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of the appendix are rare and are often discovered incidentally during surgery for acute appendicitis or other unrelated conditions (Modlin et al. in Gastroenterology 128:1717-1751, 2005, Alsaad et al. in Oncol Rep 16:1105-1109, 2006, Frilling et al. in Lancet Oncol 15:e8-e21, 2014). These tumors can range from asymptomatic incidental findings to clinically significant tumors with metastases (Alsaad et al. in Oncol Rep 16:1105-1109, 2006, Gomes et al...

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: The Intrauterine Contraceptive Device (IUD), a widely used contraceptive since 1965, has demonstrated efficacy but is associated with complications such as bleeding, pain, and rare occurrences of perforation. This case report details an IUD migration into the peritoneal cavity, leading to acute appendicitis. CASE PRESENTATION: A 33-year-old woman, with a history of IUD insertion 16 months prior, presented with pelvic pain. Gynecological examination and computed tomography, revealed the IUD intraperitoneal migration...

Obturator hernia (OH), a rare and potentially life-threatening condition, presents diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. This review article comprehensively delves into the clinical features, diagnosis, and management of OH, with a particular emphasis on the pivotal role of computed tomography (CT) in timely and accurate diagnosis. Delays, particularly in contrast-enhanced CT, dramatically increase mortality due to potential bowel strangulation. To illustrate the challenges and complexities surrounding OH, we present a video vignette of a 74-year-old female patient who presented with symptoms suggestive of bowel obstruction (BO) secondary to a strangulated left-sided OH...

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Ingestion of foreign bodies is a relatively common cause of abdominal pain in the emergency department among pediatric patients. A less common but potentially life-threatening ingestion is that of magnets. PRESENTATION OF CASE: Here, we report the case of a 6-year-old female who ingested 7 ball magnets in a rural town in Brazil and presented with a 4-day history of abdominal pain. Surgical approach was necessary in this case. It consisted of midline laparotomy that revealed one small intestinal perforation of the antimesenteric aspect of the small bowel...

video width="640" height="480" controls controlsList="nodownload" poster="https://www.revistachirurgia.ro/pdfs/video/Victor_Gheorghe_Radu_L3W3_Incisional_Hernia.jpg" style="margin-top: -20px;" source src="https://www.revistachirurgia.ro/pdfs/video/Victor_Gheorghe_Radu_L3W3_Incisional_Hernia.mp4" type="video/mp4" Your browser does not support the video tag. /video Introduction: The Rives-Stoppa procedure has emerged as the preferred method for ventral hernia repair, and the principles of this technique are similarly applied in minimally invasive surgery using the eTEP (enhanced view totally extraperitoneal) approach...

OBJECTIVES: Repairing thoracic aortic aneurysms with endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is a safe and minimally invasive method with low morbidity and short postoperative recovery. We developed a novel method to treat descending thoracic aortic aneurysms using a mini-thoracotomy approach in complex patients with difficult access. METHODS: A 56-year-old male patient presented with a 3-day history of chest pain. His past surgical history included infrarenal aortic ligation and right axillobifemoral bypass...

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of the erector spinae plane (ESP) block in mitigating postoperative pain has been shown for a range of thoracic and abdominal procedures. However, there is a paucity of literature investigating its impact on postoperative analgesia as well as its influence on weaning and subsequent recovery in comparison to thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) in median sternotomy-based approach for open-cardiac surgeries and hence the study. METHODS: Irrespective of gender or age, 74 adult patients scheduled to undergo open cardiac surgery were enrolled and randomly allocated into two groups: the Group TEA (thoracic epidural block) and the Group ESP (bilateral Erector Spinae Plane block)...

BACKGROUND: Dirofilariasis is a vector-borne disease caused by parasitic nematodes of the genus Dirofilaria spp., considered an emerging concern in both veterinary and human medicine. Climate changes and human activities, such as pet travel, contribute to the spread of diseases to new non-endemic regions. Poland is dominated by subcutaneous dirofilariasis caused by D. repens infections. Cardiopulmonary dirofilariasis, also known as a heartworm disease is much more rare with only single autochthonous cases reported so far...

Paraduodenal hernias, particularly those on the right side, are rare but clinically significant occurrences characterized by the abnormal protrusion of abdominal contents through mesenteric defects adjacent to the duodenum. These hernias result from embryologic malformations and can lead to complications such as intermittent abdominal pain, nausea, and, in severe cases, bowel obstruction. This case describes a 48-year-old male who presented with a 24-hour history of colicky abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant, associated with nausea...

A man in his 60s attended emergency for acute-onset abdominal pain and haematemesis. Requiring resuscitation, a CT abdomen/pelvis revealed a primary aortoenteric fistula actively bleeding into the duodenum. His background included a previous severe Q-fever infection and a heavy smoking history. Despite attempts at resuscitation and an emergent surgical attempt at haemostasis, the patient did not survive the massive gastrointestinal haemorrhage.Even in less severe cases, management of aortoenteric fistulas is tricky...

In the acute diagnostics of a suspected nephroureterolithiasis, ultrasonography should be the examination modality of choice. In cases of suspected urolithiasis, unclear flank pain with fever or in cases of a solitary kidney, a noncontrast computed tomography (CT) scan should always subsequently be performed. If the sonography findings are inconclusive in pregnant women a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination can be considered. If there are indications for urinary diversion, a retrograde imaging study should be performed as part of the urinary diversion...

Vesicoenteric fistulas are rare, with an incidence of 0.1%-0.2% in the general population, and Meckel's diverticulum is a rare cause, accounting for less than 5% of cases with challenging diagnosis due to atypical symptoms at the admission. This article presents a case of a vesicoenteric fistula formation between Meckel's diverticulum perforated by a foreign body and urinary bladder in a 38-years-old Caucasian male admitted to emergency department due to colicky abdominal pain located in the lower abdomen. An extensive review of the literature was conducted referring all the cases of vesicoenteric fistula incorporating Meckel's diverticulum to elucidate the clinical characteristics, explore the diagnostic yield, and to summarize the therapeutic approach...

Malrotation and midgut volvulus are surgical emergencies that commonly occur within the first month of life. The classic symptom is acute bilious vomiting, while nonspecific symptoms such as recurrent abdominal pain may be present in older children. Malrotation can be associated with duodenal obstruction caused by an abnormal peritoneal fibrous band or congenital anomalies, such as an annular pancreas or a preduodenal portal vein. Volvulus can lead to bowel ischemia and a life-threatening condition, thus prompt and accurate diagnosis is crucial...

INTRODUCTION: Abdominal wall hernias are a frequent cause of abdominal pain-related emergency department visits. Our study aimed to establish the connection between lactate levels and patient outcomes in those with abdominal pain due to abdominal wall hernias. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our research followed a retrospective, observational, and descriptive approach and two center. We included patients who visited the emergency department for abdominal pain and were confirmed to have abdominal wall hernias through ultrasound...

INTRODUCTION: Appendiculocolonic fistulas, often arising from benign conditions like abscess-forming appendicitis, manifest subtly. This case emphasizes their rarity, intraoperative discovery during acute appendicitis, and explores diagnostic intricacies, sensitive imaging, and distinctions in managing benign versus malignant cases. CASE PRESENTATION: A 23-year-old intellectually disabled patient, lacking regular medical follow-up and surgical history, presented to our emergency department with persistent right iliac fossa pain six months ago...

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Intussusception, a condition primarily seen in pediatric populations, involves the telescoping of one segment of the bowel into an adjacent section. In adults, intussusception is rare and presents unique diagnostic and management challenges. This case report highlights a 73-year-old female with ileocecal colonic intussusception complicated by an underlying adenocarcinoma, emphasizing the need for early diagnosis and a multidisciplinary approach. CASE PRESENTATION: A 73-year-old female with a history of hypertension and type 2 diabetes presented with right-sided abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting...

The low FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharide, disaccharide, monosaccharide, and polyol) diet is a beneficial therapeutic approach for patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). However, how the low FODMAP diet works is still not completely understood. These mechanisms encompass not only traditionally known factors such as luminal distension induced by gas and water but also recent evidence on the role of FOMAPs in the modulation of visceral hypersensitivity, increases in intestinal permeability, the induction of microbiota changes, and the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), as well as metabolomics and alterations in motility...

INTRODUCTION: Small bowel obstruction is a difficult emergency condition that may be caused due to many factors. However, bezoar-induced small bowel obstruction accounts for only 0.4-4.8% of all intestinal impaction patients. Bezoars are an entity of undigested materials classified into four types: phytobezoar, trichobezoar, pharmacobezoar, lactobezoar. Meat bolus bezoar is not named under any of these classifications. CASE PRESENTATION: A 75-year-old man presented with abdominal distention, vomiting, and constipation...