Acute Abdomen
Activity
Round Table Discussion
Round Table Discussion
Curriculum Block
Clerkship / Surgery Rotation
- Indicates most relevant
Objectives
Clerkship Objectives
- Explain the rationale for utilizing various diagnostic modalities in the evaluation of abdominal pain: Special diagnostic/Interventional techniques: upper endoscopy, procto-sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, laparoscopy.
- Discuss the pathophysiology and treatment of achalasia and diffuse esophageal spasm. (Mallory-Weiss tear; Achalesia; Variceal Bleeding; Zenker’s Diverticulum; Perforation)
- Fecal Impaction
- Volvulus
- Carcinoma Bowel
- Large Bowel Obstruction
- Small Bowel Obstruction Partial/Complete
- Enterocolitis
- Diverticulitis
- Appendicitis
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn’s Disease/Ulcerative Colitis)
- Characterization of abdominal pain (location, severity, character, pattern).
- Explain the rationale for utilizing various diagnostic modalities in the evaluation of abdominal pain: Diagnostic imaging: Flat and upright abdominal radiographs, upright chest X-ray, ultrasound, CT scan abdomen and pelvis, GI contrast radiography, angiography.
- Explain the rationale for utilizing various diagnostic modalities in the evaluation of abdominal pain: Laboratory: CBC, amylase, electrolytes, BUN, creatinine, glucose, urinalysis, beta-HCG, liver profile.
- Develop a differential diagnosis for various patients presenting with acute abdominal pain. Differentiate based on: Location (RUQ, epigastric, LUQ, RLQ, LLQ, Flank) and Symptom complex (examples: periumbilical pain localizing to RLQ, acute onset left flank pain with radiation to the testicle etc).
- Demonstrate and relate the significance of various maneuvers utilized in evaluating acute abdominal pain. Examples: iliopsoas sign, Rovsing's sign, obturator sign, Murphy's sign, cough tenderness, heel tap, cervical motion tenderness.
- Relate the significance of the various component examinations: observation, auscultation, percussion, palpation as they apply to common abdominal pathologic processes. Examples: distention, visible peristalsis, high pitched or absent bowel sounds, tympany, mass, localized vs. generalized guarding and/or rebound tenderness.
- Pertinent medical history: prior surgery or illness, associated conditions (pregnancy, menstrual cycle, diabetes, atrial fibrillation or cardiovascular disease, immunosuppression). Medications: anticoagulation, steroids etc. (for abdominal pain).
- Associated signs and symptoms of abdominal pain (nausea vomiting, fever, chills, anorexia, wt. loss, cough, dysphagia, dysuria/frequency, altered bowel function diarrhea, constipation, obstipation, hematochezia, melena, etc.).
- Alleviating and exacerbating factors of abdominal pain (position, food, activity, medications).
- Temporal sequence of abdominal pain (onset, frequency, duration, progression).
Tags
Curriculum Block
Clerkship
Surgery Rotation
Discipline
Surgery
MCC Presentations
Acute Abdominal Pain
McMaster Program Competencies
2.2 Apply biomedical scientific principles fundamental to health care for patients and populations.
4.2 Participate in the education of patients, families, students, trainees, peers and other health professionals
MeSH
Abdomen, Acute [C23.888.646.100.200]
Abdominal Pain [C23.888.646.100]
