Abdominal emergencies

This brief review of abdominal emergencies is by no means encyclopedic. Indeed, it simply reflects the multiplicity of problems that can occur and suggests the need for a high index of suspicion and an optimistic attitude toward their solution. In addition, the surgeon must keep in mind the fact that cancer patients may also suffer acute abdominal distress from extra-abdominal causes such as pneumonia, myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, and hematologic abnormalities such as porphyria or sickle cell anemia. Inflammatory bowel disease, pelvic inflammatory disease, acute hepatitis or other similar problems more commonly seen in general hospital populations may also develop. Consultations for an acute condition of the abdomen in patients receiving marrow-suppressing chemotherapy are challenging problems and repeated examination every few hours is required to detect subtle changes. Hypovolemia, sepsis, confusion and unexplained metabolic acidosis may be the only criteria for surgical exploration. An unnecessary operation in a leukopenic and thrombocytopenic patient is indeed risky, but failure to drain an occult abscess or resect a perforated segment of bowel is always lethal. An additional consideration is the likelihood of response to further treatment of the underlying disease. Unless further effective therapy is unavailable, pessimism is unwarranted.