Characteristics of acute abdominal pain in lower abdomen in patients hospitalized in general hospital Tesanj.

BACKGROUND Pain in the lower abdomen is one of the leading reasons that lead the patient in surgery. Although appendicitis is the most common cause in about two thirds of patients the other causes must be taken into account. OBJECTIVES To determine the probabilities which could determine what is an etiological cause of pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS comprised 102 patients hospitalized in general hospital Tesanj because the clinical symptoms dominated by acute pain in the lower abdomen. The study was retrospective prospective clinical study. All data were collected in a special database and statistically analyzed. RESULTS Of all the causes of abdominal pain in the lower abdomen the most common is appendicitis with a total of 62 patients, of which slightly more male patients (36) compared to female patients (26) or (57% male and 43% female patients). If we analyze the time elapsed from pain onset to patient visit of physician we can say that patient with more intense pain will visit physician sooner. Colic and intense pain is a characteristic of colon cancer (15 patients) and Crohn's disease. Dull pain is characteristic of omentum cyst, diverticulitis, and intestinal obstruction and was seen in one fifth of patients with colorectal cancer and one third of patients with acute appendicitis. Palpatory positive pain in Mc Burney's point distinguishes appendicitis from other causes in most cases. DISCUSSION The decision-making in the treatment of abdominal pain is depending of nature of pain, intensity, spreading, and sensitivity to palpation and localization of pain that usually indicates the place where the sick organ transmits the inflammatory process to the parietal peritoneum. Other symptoms that accompany pain and laboratory tests can be of crucial importance.