Acute abdomen
Acute abdomen describes recent abdominal symptoms that may require urgent assessment. Its causes span inflammatory, obstructive, ischemic, perforating, vascular and extra-abdominal disorders.
Open interactive lesson & self-check ↗Acute abdomen — learning map
Original conceptual SVG · scalableOriginal schematic relationship map for this topic; relationships are organized for study, not intended as an anatomical depiction or a diagnostic algorithm.
History and time course
Pain site, migration, severity, vomiting, bowel and urinary changes, trauma and relevant pregnancy history guide the differential.
Clinical assessment
Vital signs, mental state, perfusion, hydration and focused abdominal examination help identify potentially unstable patients.
Broad mechanisms
Inflammation, obstruction, perforation, ischemia, bleeding and referred cardiopulmonary pain can produce abdominal presentations.
Investigation and escalation
Laboratory testing and imaging are selected in relation to the presentation; unstable patients require immediate appropriate clinical management.
Reference and next reading
Explore the original curriculum and publisher-hosted resources for full-depth reading; this note is an original schematic introduction, not an exhaustive chapter.