ACUTE ABDOMEN: INCIDENCE, DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT

Radiology in acute abdomen is a very helpful method much, information can be obtained if the requested film shows something we are searching for e.g air under diaphragm.Ultrasonography and C. T. scanmng was well as radioisotopic scanning are now becoming necessary in the diagnosis of some urgent abdominal conditions owing to their accuracy.Abdominal paracentesis, peritoneal lavage, and laparoscopy proved to be very useful in prevention of unnecessary laparotomies with relatively high accuracy especially in- acute pancreatitis, suspected appendicitis in children and in females during fertile period of life, and in blunt abdominal trauma.Acute abdominal conditions are due to variable causes, some of which need rapid and early diagnosis as perforated peptic ulcer, intestinal obstruction, ectopic pregnancy. So recognition of early clinical picture is quite essential and is the key to early diagnosis. We should never wait for the late picture of frank peritonitis or irreversible shock to appear, as the prognosis becomes too bad.