Distribution of causes of acute abdominal pain in children that presented to a state hospital radiology unit according to age, gender and pathology origin

Year 2019, Volume: 5 Issue: 3, 510 - 514, 04.05.2019

Betül Tiryaki Baştuğ

https://doi.org/10.18621/eurj.380401

Abstract

Objectives: The
term “acute abdomen” refers to any sudden non-traumatic disorder whose chief
manifestations are located within the abdominal area. In this condition, urgent
operation may be necessary. The aim of this study was to investigate the
distribution of causes of acute abdominal pain in children according to their
age, gender and origin of pathology, who presented to a state hospital
radiology unit in Turkey that had undergone standardised abdominal sonography
and computed tomography imaging if necessary.

Methods: This study was
designed as a retrospective investigation. A sample of 1000 patients (568 males
and 432 females) were selected from a pool of 3452 paediatric patients between
2014 and 2016.

Results: Acute
abdomen in the paediatric age group occurred more frequently in males than
females. The most common age of presentation with acute abdominal pain was
between 7 and 15 years. The most common medical cause was mesenteric
lymphadenitis (11%). In females, mesenteric lymphadenitis, acute appendicitis
and ovarian cyst rupture were the predominant causes, whereas mesenteric
lymphadenitis, acute appendicitis and urinary
system pathologies were predominant in males.

Conclusions: When evaluating a child with acute abdominal
pain, the most important components include taking a thorough patient history
and performing repeated physical examinations. Selective use of appropriate
laboratory and radiological investigations may be necessary in order to
establish a specific diagnosis. 

Keywords

Paediatric, acute abdomen, distribution of causes

References

• [1] Boey JH. Acute abdomen in current surgical diagnosis and treatment. 9th ed. 1991.
• [2] Laméris W, van Randen A, Dijkgraaf MGW, Bossuyt PMM, Stoker J, Boermeester MA. Optimization of diagnostic imaging use in patients with acute abdominal pain (OPTIMA): Design and rationale. BMC Emerg Med 2007;7:9.
• [3] Hill BC, Johnson SC, Owens EK, Gerber JL, Senagore AJ. CT scan for suspected acute abdominal process: impact of combinations of IV, oral, and rectal contrast. World J Surg 2010;34:699-703.
• [4] Leung AKC, Sigalet DL. Acute abdominal pain in children. Am Fam Phys 2003;67:2321-8.
• [5] Ferry F. Jr., Abdominal pain in children. emedicinehealth. Accessed:11/20/2017
• [6] Vignault F, Filiatrault D, Brandt ML, Garel L, Grignon A, Ouimet A. Acute appendicitis in children: evaluation with US. Radiology 1990;176:501-4.
• [7] Soundappan SV, Holland AJ, Cass DT, Lam A. Diagnostic accuracy of surgeon-performed focused abdominal sonography (FAST) in blunt paediatric trauma. Injury 2005;36:970-5.
• [8] Reich JD, Brogdon B, Ray WE, Eckert J, Gorell H. Use of CT scan in the diagnosis of pediatric acute appendicitis. Pediatr Emerg Care 2000;16:241-3.