Search

Reflux symptoms and upper abdominal pain are very common symptoms in general population. Both symptoms are visceral and thus cannot be linked to an organ or a disease. Diagnostic work-up revealed organic disease in up to 30%, when patients present with dyspeptic symptoms. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and functional dyspepsia (FD) represent the most frequent and important disorders in western countries, when diagnostic work-up is done in patients with reflux symptoms and abdominal pain., Competing Interests: Vortrags- und Beraterhonorare: Bayer Vital, Dr. Wilmar Schwabe, Reckitt Benckiser, (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Acute abdominal pain may relate to specific organ systems and needs an interdisciplinary approach with close collaboration between internal and surgical disciplines. Main objective is to shorten the diagnostic work-up between the beginning of the symptoms and their therapy. After clarifying of the five w-questions: when, how, how long, why, and where, abdominal ultrasound, ECG, laboratory diagnostics and early application of computed tomography should be performed.For the most part, chronic abdominal pain is caused by disorders of the gut-brain-axis such as the irritable bowel syndrome. Because of the synaptic plasticity, the processing of pain is dynamic and cannot be related to a single organ system. This problem is obvious in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and colonic diverticula, which may be interpreted as symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease (SUDD, type 3a). However, a reliable clinical differentiation between both groups is not possible. The establishment of SUDD (type 3a) considerable widened the application area of mesalazine., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht.

Background: Epiploic appendagitis (AE) is a rare cause of acute abdomen and is often misdiagnosed as other common causes of acute abdomen, such as acute appendicitis, cholecystitis or diverticulitis due to its low incidence and its nonspecific clinical picture. This study presents the clinical course of AE and typical radiological features for an early and correct diagnosis in order to emphasize the importance of an early and correct diagnosis of AE., Methods: This is a retrospective review of 43 patients diagnosed with AE between June 2010 and September 2022 at the Charité - University Hospital Berlin, Campus Benjamin Franklin. The medical records were reviewed regarding clinical und radiological features, anatomical location of the AE und treatment methods., Results: A total of 43 patients (29 male, 11 female) were diagnosed with AE and almost all patients presented with abdominal pain, except in 8 cases (18.6%). Specific findings in computer tomography (CT) with a typical picture of AE were found in 33 patients (76.7%). AE was mostly localized in the left colon: 12 were found in the sigmoid colon (27.9%), 16 in the descending colon (37.2%) and 5 at the junction of the descending colon and the sigmoid colon (11.6%). Of the patients 28 (65.1%) were admitted for conservative treatment and the rest of the patients were treated as outpatients. No patient underwent surgery, all were treated with analgesics (NSAID) and 17 patients received antibiotics in addition., Conclusion: AE is a self-limiting disease and a common mimic of other serious causes of abdominal pain. Due to the emergence of the widespread use of imaging modalities, an early diagnosis of AE and a conservative approach as first choice of treatment in patients with AE could be established., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Background: Because 8-10% of children in the emergency room present with acute abdominal pain, a systematic work-up is essential to rule out acute abdomen., Objectives: This article highlights the etiology, symptoms, diagnostic workup, and treatment of acute abdomen in children., Materials and Methods: Review of the current literature., Results: Abdominal inflammation, ischemia, bowel and ureteral obstruction, or abdominal bleeding are causes of acute abdomen. Extra-abdominal diseases such as otitis media in toddlers or testicular torsion in adolescent boys can also lead to symptoms of acute abdomen. Abdominal pain, (bilious) vomiting, abdominal guarding, constipation, blood-tinged stools, abdominal bruise marks, and poor condition of the patient with symptoms such as tachycardia, tachypnea, and hypotonia up to shock are leading symptoms of acute abdomen. In some cases, emergent abdominal surgery is needed to treat the cause of the acute abdomen. However, in patients with pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporarily associated with SARS-CoV‑2 infection (PIMS-TS), a new disease causing an acute abdomen, surgical treatment is rarely needed., Conclusions: Acute abdomen can lead to nonreversible loss of an abdominal organ, such as bowel or ovary, or develop into acute deterioration of the patient's condition up to the state of shock. Therefore, a complete history and thorough physical examination are needed to timely diagnose acute abdomen and initiate specific therapy., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

A 26-year-old female presented to the emergency department due to abdominal pain in spite of painkillers. After extensive clinical diagnostics, no specific cause could be found. The further course was aggravated by a seizure due to hyponatremia. The combination of abdominal and neurological symptoms as well as darkening of the urine led to the diagnosis of porphyria. Drugs that were known to be triggers were avoided and treatment with heme arginate and glucose was started. In addition, treatment of the delirium and infection led to a complete remission of symptoms., (© 2021. Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

Abdominal pain is a common leading symptom in emergency medicine. This symptom complex includes a variety of different causes, ranging from intra-abdominal to extra-abdominal and retroperitoneal pathologies, which can affect all age groups. Abdominal complaints can include diseases ranging from trivialities to life-threatening emergencies. The acute abdominal condition is an interdisciplinary emergency in which interdisciplinary teamwork is mandatory. A rapid initial assessment and risk stratification is necessary in order to detect critically ill patients with an acute need for intervention at an early stage and to provide them with a suitable emergency therapy. A structured approach can identify the most important differential diagnoses., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren erklären, dass kein Interessenkonflikt vorliegt., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Abdominal pain is a frequent cause of consultation to doctors' offices and emergency rooms. The most common differential diagnoses can be confirmed with readily available, cost-effective, and low-risk diagnostic tools such as laboratory tests, ultrasound, or gastroscopy. Additional diagnostic tests are required to exclude rare causes such as small, solid, or hematological malignancies, metabolic disorders, or polyneuropathies of varying origin. In the following, we present the case of a patient with severe epigastric pain due to neuroborreliosis, and recapitulate the diagnostic steps for clarifying abdominal pain using this example.

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most common infectious diseases worldwide. The case of a 20-year old male refugee from Somalia, who initially presented with right-sided upper abdominal pain, vomiting, weight loss and jaundice with suspected cholecystitis is reported. In the course of further diagnostics, pyloric stenosis surprisingly appeared, which, like the cholestasis, was caused by compressing peripancreatic lymph nodes. Lymph node cytology finally showed evidence of caseating necrosis with evidence of TB pathogens.

A 46-year-old woman presented with acute abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a duodenal stenosis within the horizontal part of the duodenum. Based on the findings of abdominal computed tomography (CT), endosonography, Doppler duplex sonography and angiography, the diagnosis of an aneurysm of a branch of the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery was established. This arterial branch was part of a collateral circulation between the superior mesenteric artery and the proper hepatic artery caused by obturation of the celiac artery. The symptomatic duodenal stenosis was the result of a local hematoma due to prior rupture of an aneurysm. After successful coiling of the afferent vessels to the aneurysm follow-up examinations showed progredient resorption of the hematoma and the patient was free of complaints.

The acute pain therapy in the setting of conventional or laparoscopic appendectomy has to be initiated by the surgeon. The success of acute pain therapy holds a direct relevance for quality of life, morbidity, chronification of pain, and economic aspects. A written consent between participating occupational groups and medical faculties based on existing guidelines is a crucial prerequisite for a well-functioning acute pain therapy. An adequately informed patient is able to actively take part in the process of his acute pain therapy. He becomes "part of the team". An efficient acute pain therapy always consists of a combination of non-medical procedures, technical operative aspects, and medical procedures., Competing Interests: Interessenkonflikt: Der Autor ist in einem Beratungsgremium der Firma Grünenthal/Aachen tätig und erhält Vortragshonorare durch die Firma Grünenthal/Aachen., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

History and admission findings  An 84-year old patient with persistent atrial fibrillation and chronic renal failure received a subcutaneous injection with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) during a hospital stay. Over the course of her hospitalization, the patient developed abdominal pain. There was a marked hematoma at the injection site. A large tumor was palpable in the right abdominal quadrant. Examinations  Due to the significant reduction in hemoglobin, we performed a CT-angiogram of the abdomen. Diagnosis  We were able to visualize an intramuscular hematoma within the rectus abdominis muscle. Therapy and clinical course  After visualization with digital subtraction angiography and application of microcoils and histoacryl-glue, we were able to stop bleeding. After implantation of left atrial appendage occluder, oral anticoagulation therapy could be stopped. Conclusion  LMWH-treated patients with nonspecific abdominal pain should be meticulously examined to exclude iatrogenic abdominal muscle hematoma., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

History and admission findings  A 46-year-old woman was admitted because of recurrent postprandial vomiting including weight loss of 30 kg within the last 5 - 6 months. The physical investigation was indicative of preileus. Investigations  CT scan revealed an unclear thickening of the jejunum. Treatment and course  Explorative laparotomy was performed because of the considerable degree of suffering and a tendency of worsening. Intraoperatively, the preoperatively observed thickening was confirmed at 3 subsequent segments of the jejunum (3 cm long each) prompting to segmental resection of the jejunum. The postoperative course was uneventful. Histopathology revealed submucous, partially transmural, segmental edema compatible with an angioneurotic edema. Amyloidosis, sprue and malignancy could be excluded. A C1 esterase inhibitor test war normal. A further search for possible causes revealed ACE inhibitor medication for hypertension. Conclusion  The differential diagnostic assessment of isolated small intestine diseases must take into account rare systemic disease. The knowledge of the history of medicine can be useful to detect the - not mandatory - connection to angioedema., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

This article reports the case of a 45-year-old male immunocompetent patient who presented with acute epigastric pain and vomiting. Diagnostic tests confirmed a recent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection as a contributory cause of a florid gastric ulcer. Primary CMV infections affecting the upper gastrointestinal tract are rare in immunocompetent adults. In this case treatment with a proton pump inhibitor and eradication of concomitant Helicobacter pylori colonization led to a full recovery. Anti-CMV treatment was not necessary.

We report on a 55-year-old Thai male who presented during a visit to Germany with acute abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant and signs of cholestasis. The diagnosis of liver fluke infection (opisthorchiasis) was confirmed by the detection of the characteristic eggs of Opisthorchis viverrini in stool microscopy. The patient was treated with praziquantel. Opisthorchiasis is a common parasitic disease and major public health problem in Southeast Asia and in Eastern Europe.

Gastrointestinal symptoms are among the most common side effects of drugs. There is a broad spectrum of symptoms. Patients often report upper abdominal pain, an early sense of satiety, epigastric discomfort or pain in the upper abdomen or behind the breastbone, flatulence, diarrhoea or constipation. Some of these symptoms are attributed to the stomach or upper abdomen by the patient and/or the physician. "Stomach pain", pain in the epigastric region, occurs in most cases in combination with other symptoms such as a feeling of pressure in the upper abdomen or bloating, early satiety, nausea or vomiting--a combination called dyspepsia. Given the high frequency of these symptoms in the general population and the large number of medications many patients are taking, it can be very difficult in a given patient to differentiate between drug-induced side effects and spontaneously occurring symptoms., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Between 20% and 40% of the population have chronic or recurrent upper abdominal pain, frequently in combination with other dyspeptic symptoms. In about 50% of patients, who visit a doctor because of these complaints, symptoms are caused by an organic disease, whereas the other patients suffer from functional disturbances. Currently, the Rome III-criteria are established for diagnosis of functional dyspepsia. They request epigastric pain burning, bothersome postprandial fullness and/or early satiety and absence of structural disease that is likely to explain the symptoms. These criteria need to have been fulfilled for the previous 3 months with symptom onset at least 6 months before diagnosis. For exclusion of organic disease performance of an upper endoscopy is required. Some experts also recommend to investigate routine laboratory parameters and to perform an abdominal ultrasound investigation. Only in young patients who present with typical and moderate symptoms and have no alarm symptoms, probatory therapy without previous technical investigations and, thus, without final establishment of the diagnosis, may be considered. If they do not respond adequately within 4 weeks, these patients also have to undergo further diagnostic testing. Therapeutic options for functional dyspepsia are limited. They include the clear explanation of the diagnosis, consideration of factors that trigger or ameliorate symptoms and application of drugs such as certain herbal remedies, acid suppressing drugs and/or prokinetics., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Bariatric surgery is known to be the most effective and long-lasting treatment for morbid obesity and associated comorbidities. These comorbidities together with cardiopulmonary decompensation make morbidly obese patients a high risk group for operative interventions. Early detection of postoperative complications is a challenging task in these patients and requires accurate and timely interpretation of any alarm signals. Symptoms, such as tachycardia and abdominal pain are highly suspicious. The same applies to elevated inflammatory parameters and fever. Early diagnostic laparoscopy is mandatory once cardiopulmonary complications have been excluded. Moreover, it has a higher sensitivity and specificity than other radiological modalities and is a minimally invasive procedure with a highly satisfactory outcome.