Abstract

LOU-CALVO, E et al. Non-specific abdominal pain, a case to keep under observation. Sanid. Mil. [online]. 2023, vol.79, n.1, pp.42-44.  Epub Nov 13, 2023. ISSN 1887-8571.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/s1887-85712023000100008.

Abdominal pain is a nonspecific symptom, common to multiple processes, with a high prevalence in the general population. It represents 15-20% of the reasons for consultation in the Emergency Department1. Most of these pains have a benign etiology, so the initial objective of medical care is to identify those patients whose abdominal pain is due to a serious pathology2.

Sometimes, it can have both a fast and torpid evolution and can cause an acute abdomen. Acute abdomen is defined as abdominal pain of recent onset, which requires a rapid and accurate diagnosis due to the possibility that it may lead to urgent surgical treatment. For this, a good history and examination is important, focused on detecting alarm signs and symptoms. If it is not diagnosed and treated properly and early, it can cause consequences such as sepsis, shock, kidney failure, with high mortality3.

Below we present the case of a patient with nonspecific abdominal pain and anodyne complementary tests at the beginning of the condition, which evolves in the following hours, forcing the patient to consult again, eventually requiring an emergency surgical intervention. This is a case that forces us to determine multiple differential diagnoses and how to approach this clinic that is as frequent as it is changing.

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