Diagnosis of acute surgical abdomen – The best diagnostic tool to reach a final diagnosiscin

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the best diagnostic tool (clinical, radiological, laboratory, or endoscopy) used to reach a final diagnosis of four most common presentations of acute abdomen to the surgical unit in the Limerick University Hospital, Limerick, Ireland. Methods: Data was analyzed retrospectively of prospective collected data of all patients who had been admitted at a single academic institution from July 2011 till September 2011. Radiology, operating theatre and histopathology, haematology and endoscopy databases were searched from the Hospital Inpatient Enquiry (HIPE) department for patients who had presented with acute abdominal pain. Patients' charts were searched manually and final diagnosis of each patient was recorded. Results: Out of 30 confirmed final diagnosis of appendicitis or appendicular mass, 9/30 (30.0%) were diagnosed with radiological (either on ultrasonography or CT scan). The remaining 21 cases (70.0%) were diagnosed clinically. Majority cases of diverticulitis 16/22 (72.7%) was diagnosed radiologically compared to only 6/22 (27.3%) of those confirmed by endoscopy. All diagnosis of gallstone-related diseases (cholecytitis, biliary colic, or cholelithiasis and/or choledocholithiasis) and bowel obstruction were confirmed by radiological investigation. Conclusions: Appendicitis can be accurately diagnosed clinically based on history and clinical examination alone. Diagnosis of diverticular disease, gallstone disease, and bowel obstruction further requires radiology intervention to confirm the provisional diagnosis.

Keywords

• Acute
• Surgical abdomen
• Diagnosis