[Management of adult abdominal pain in the Emergency Room]

Abdominal pain is a commonplace reason for surgical consultation in the emergency department and is the the most common symptom which the digestive surgeon on-call must evaluate. He must understand the pathophysiologic basis of visceral pain and referred pain in order to appreciate its diverse manifestations. Abdominal pain can stem from many causes intestinal and non-intestinal, medical and surgical. Evaluation and management in the emergency department must be rapid and pragmatic; clinical history and physical examination should define the gravity of the case, direct the first diagnostic procedures and complementary examinations, and guide the therapeutic direction. Ultrasonography is a quick and effective diagnostic procedure in the diagnosis of biliary, urologic, and gynecologic pathologies; it can be useful for other digestive problems as well. The new generation spiral CT scanner gives excellent definition of digestive and vascular pathologies. The initial evaluation and management of the acute abdomen may determine the prognosis of the patient; it should lead to prompt symptomatic relief and to a well-directed treatment appropriate to the diagnosis.