gastrointestinal disorders
Acute Abdominal Pain
Introduction
Abdominal pain is common and often inconsequential. Acute and severe abdominal pain, however, is almost always a symptom of intra-abdominal disease. It may be the sole indicator of the need for surgery and must be attended to swiftly: Gangrene and Acute Perforation of the Gastrointestinal Tract can occur Textbook descriptions of abdominal pain have limitations because people react to pain differently. Some, particularly older people, are stoic, whereas others exaggerate their symptoms. Infants, young children, and some older people may have difficulty localizing the pain. The termacute abdomenrefers to abdominal symptoms and signs of such severity or concern that disorders requiring surgery should be considered. 