Diseases of the abdominal organs are very often dangerous and require immediate surgical intervention. The symptoms of such diseases are also very extensive and overlap with symptoms of pneumonia or myocardial infarction, but such acute conditions do not require immediate intervention by the surgeon.
General characteristics
Acute inflammatory diseases of the abdominal organs is a whole clinical symptom complex that occurs against the background of diseases or injuries of internal organs. Most often, the disease can be eliminated exclusively with the help of a surgical operation.
The first examination is usually carried out at home or in the outpatient department. The later the patient seeks help, the worse the prognosis for recovery.
General symptoms and history taking
To make a correct diagnosis, a thorough history taking is required from the doctor. Almost all injuries and diseases of organsabdominal cavity are accompanied by cramping pains in the abdomen. But this is a subjective symptom that requires clarification. Perhaps it all started after eating or hitting the peritoneum, the cause may be alcohol or a fall.
Along with the main symptom, the pain may be accompanied by cutting and stabbing sensations. In some patients, pain radiates to the scapula, groin, lower back, or scrotum. Also, the doctor will specify what is the frequency of pain, how long they have been bothering the patient. Perhaps it is girdle or retrosternal pain.
Along with pain, the patient may experience nausea and vomiting. In the presence of vomiting, it is very important what it is, debilitating or indomitable, how many times it was. What does vomiting consist of: food that was recently consumed, or mucus. If it is slime, what color is it, what smell does it have.
The opposite symptom of vomiting can be constipation or bloating. In this case, it is very important whether the patient suffers from constipation, and when a bowel movement occurs, there is a blood content in it. What symptoms are accompanied by defecation, is it possible for the patient to have pain in the abdomen, is there rumbling and gases.
To make a correct diagnosis, it is also very important whether abdominal pain is accompanied by an increase in body temperature. How is your urination, is there any delay, is there an increase or decrease in the amount of urine.
Be sure the doctor must clarify with the patient whether any methods have previously been used to eliminate abdominal pain, as prescribed by medicalemployees, as well as those chosen on their own, for example, enemas or a heating pad was applied.
Possible causes
Diseases of the abdominal organs can appear in a number of cases:
- If there was an injury (strike) to the abdomen.
- Acute inflammatory processes, including peritonitis.
- Mechanical damage resulting in obstruction.
- Perforation of the genitals.
- Disturbances in the work of venous and arterial circulation. Such problems can cause the development of intestinal infarction, in some cases even gangrene begins against the background of intestinal obstruction.
- Bleeding in the peritoneum or GI tract.
- Inflammatory processes in the female genital organs (ectopic pregnancy, torsion of the cyst legs, necrosis, tumors, etc.).
Acute intestinal obstruction
This type of pathology occurs against the background of disturbances in the process of movement of intestinal contents. The obstruction may be partial or complete.
Also allocate dynamic or functional obstruction, in which there may be spastic obstruction, which is a consequence of poisoning (chemical or drugs). A provocateur in such a situation can be a foreign body, adhesions in the intestine. The paralytic type of pathology may be the result of urolithiasis or cholelithiasis. Diagnosis of diseases of the abdominal organscavity in this case can be a certain complexity, as it is accompanied by multiple symptoms that can be confused with other diseases.
Mechanical obstruction occurs against the background of external factors: external pressure, due to narrowing of the lumen in the intestine, during the formation of nodes or volvulus of the intestines.
Symptoms of disease of the abdominal cavity with intestinal obstruction may be as follows:
- pain in the abdomen of varying intensity and character;
- bloating due to constipation;
- nausea and vomiting, with offensive discharge.
In such cases, the patient's condition deteriorates rapidly, facial features become sharpened, there may be a strong and unpleasant odor from the mouth. The pulse is uneven, the pressure may drop.
Emergency care in this case is as follows:
- patient should be put to bed;
- the patient should not be allowed to drink and eat, only rinsing the mouth is permissible;
- the introduction of "Polyglukin" and glucose is allowed;
- you can inject a 2% solution of "No-shpy" or a 1% solution of "Dimedrol".
Immediately call an ambulance for further hospitalization.
Acute appendicitis
This inflammatory disease of the abdominal cavity is subject to immediate surgical intervention. Pain completely depends on where the process of the caecum is located. Also, the symptomatology depends on whether simple orpurulent, diffuse appendicitis.
The most characteristic signs: acute and sharp pains in the abdomen, usually manifested by seizures. Pain sensations begin from the area on the right side of the lower abdomen, then they can appear in the area of the stomach and navel, then move to the area on the right. At the initial stage, nausea may be observed. If the intestinal process is located in the pelvic area, then the patient may have diarrhea. Body temperature can rise, up to 40 degrees. On palpation of the abdomen, pain intensifies in the lower right region.
Before the arrival of the ambulance, the patient should be kept calm, not allowed to eat or drink. An ice pack can be applied to the right abdomen. If within 6 hours the patient did not get to the hospital, then he can enter "Gentamicin" and "Ampicillin". Severe pain can be relieved by an injection with Analgin. Under no circumstances should laxatives or heating pads be used.
Perforated ulcer
This disease is characterized by sudden pains in the abdomen, equally it applies to duodenal ulcer and stomach ulcer. Vomiting very rarely appears, and if present, it immediately manifests itself after the next attack. A person cannot be in a state of sitting or standing, he needs to lie down, at this time the stomach is more like wood, very hard and does not participate in the breathing process. The clinical picture of a perforated ulcer is very similar to acute appendicitis.
Treatmentdiseases of the abdominal organs with this type of pathology involves adherence to bed rest, refusal of water and drink.
Before the arrival of doctors or the delivery of the patient to a medical facility, in no case should you warm the abdomen, wash the stomach, do an enema or give laxatives. You can only enter an anesthetic, for example, "Tramal" and an antibacterial agent - "Gentamicin" or "Ampicillin".
Pinch hernia
The development of this type of disease of the abdominal organs is possible after the reduction of a hernia, or if there were problems with this formation before. At the moment of pinching, the patient experiences vomiting, which after some time consists not only of food, but also of bile. There are symptoms of intestinal obstruction. In advanced cases, in the area of the hernia, the skin may turn red, the organ itself protrudes, the body temperature rises, pain can radiate to the leg.
In this situation, the patient is also shown bed rest. If there is no medical facility nearby, then you can try to straighten the hernia yourself. First, the patient should be given an anesthetic, preferably "No-shpu" or "Atropine". Be sure to let the person go to the toilet. Then the patient lies on his back, slightly raises and bends his legs, a pillow is placed under the buttocks. After 20 minutes, you can begin to slowly reduce the hernia, with soft and unhurried movements. After the procedure, the patient should not break bed rest for at least a day.
Acute mesenteric thrombosis
Pathology is characterized by an acute disruption in the functioning of the systemcirculation in the mesenteric vessels. It may appear on the background of thrombosis or embolism, and is typical for middle-aged and elderly people.
Depending on the level of vascular damage, there are also acute pains that can disturb in the right iliac region, if the main trunk is damaged. If the inferior mesenteric artery suffers, then pain is observed in the left iliac region. According to the symptoms, thrombosis is very similar to intestinal obstruction and acute appendicitis. The patient may experience tachycardia, nausea with vomiting, bloating, and delayed defecation.
Thrombosis of this type is classified as a surgical disease of the abdominal cavity, as it really poses a threat to human life. Mortality in this pathology ranges from 70% to 90%.
Gastrointestinal bleeding
The clinical picture of this acute condition consists of a sudden onset of bleeding. Concomitant symptoms include: dizziness, loss of strength and low blood pressure, severe vomiting with blood clots. The feces become tarry, yellow circles appear around the patient's eyes, there is an increase in the pulse rate, severe sweating.
Bleeding often occurs against the background of complications of a stomach or duodenal ulcer. If we are talking about mild bleeding, characterized by a chronic form, then a person may develop anemia.
Profuse bleeding is an acute surgical disease of the abdominal cavity and requires immediate surgicalintervention.
Peritonitis
As a rule, peritonitis occurs against the background of complications after appendicitis, ulcers, cholecystitis or trauma. It is characterized by an inflammatory process in the peritoneum. The inflammatory process can affect only a small area of the peritoneum, or it can be diffuse, or involve the entire area in the process.
The acute form of this disease of the abdominal organs is characterized by increasing pain that increases with movement. A person cannot walk and sit, he needs to lie down. Everything in the mouth dries up, the patient is thirsty, and the tongue is covered with a whitish coating. After some time, vomiting opens, with the release of a brown and bad-smelling liquid. The temperature can rise above 39 degrees.
On palpation, there is an increase in the volume of the abdomen, the wall of the peritoneum is very hard and hurts from the slightest touch. If you listen to peristalsis, sounds are clearly audible. When sounds subside in this area and the patient's hiccups disappear, this indicates that he is in an extremely serious condition.
In addition to bed rest, before arriving at the hospital, the patient can be injected with "Gentamicin" and "Tramal" to relieve severe pain.
Injuries to the abdominal organs
When penetrating wounds almost always occurs surgical disease of the abdominal cavity. If the spleen or liver is damaged, intra-abdominal bleeding is usually observed. A wounded person has a decrease in pressure and diffuse pain in the entire abdomen. If hollow organs, intestines or stomach are damaged, symptoms characteristic of inflammation of the peritoneum are observed.
If it is a minor injury, then conservative treatment can be used, in more severe cases, surgical treatment is indispensable.
Acute cholecystitis
This is a disease in which the gallbladder becomes inflamed. It all starts with a sudden pain in the right hypochondrium. The most common cause of an exacerbation of the inflammatory process is gallstone disease (90% of cases).
After diagnosing a surgical disease of the abdominal organs, the tactics of treatment are determined. It is possible that the operation will not even be carried out immediately after hospitalization, everything depends entirely on the physical condition of the patient. In the first 8-12 hours, metabolic processes can be corrected.
In the absence of medical education and the ability to deliver the patient to the hospital, it is forbidden to administer painkillers and other medicines that may adversely affect human he alth.
