Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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 21,692 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

An elderly woman with an acute abdomen due to a perforated peptic ulcer is discussed to illustrate the problem of atypical presentation of illness in the elderly. The importance of not dismissing non-specific symptoms and signs such as confusion, restlessness, abdominal distention and non-localising abdominal tenderness in the elderly, is highlighted. In addition, the useful radiological features of pneumoperitoneum are described. The need for functional assessment and rehabilitation are emphasised as important components in the practice of geriatric medicine.
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PMID:Atypical presentation in the elderly--case report of an acute abdomen. 757 Jan 48

Acute suppurative cholangitis is one of the common causes of acute abdomen in Taiwan. Emergency decompression is a life-saving procedure if patients fail to respond to antibiotic treatment. From July 1988 to June 1991, 224 patients were encountered with concomitant bile duct stones and cholangitis; 40 were brought to the emergency service with shock or mental confusion or responded poorly to antibiotic treatment. The patients consisted of 20 males and 20 females aged 21-81 years (mean age 64 years); 55% had intrahepatic duct stones, 50% had positive blood culture, 38% had undergone previous biliary surgery, 25% had concomitant medical illnesses and 20% presented with mental confusion. Emergent endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (ENBD) was performed within 48 h of each patient's arrival in the emergency room. In 3 days all the patients exhibited significant improvement as defined by body temperature, vital signs, white blood cell count, serum bilirubin and alkaline phosphates levels. When their condition had stabilized, 21 patients underwent elective surgery. Six patients received ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid infusion through an ENBD tube. Two of the patients' stones dissolved completely. Six patients received papillotomy with stone removal. The remaining patients refused further treatment. There was no hospital mortality. It is therefore concluded that ENBD offers an effective treatment for acute calculus suppurative cholangitis and it is a potential route of administration for the chemical dissolution of bile duct stones.
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PMID:Emergency endoscopic nasobiliary drainage for acute calculous suppurative cholangitis and its potential use in chemical dissolution. 843 60

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. These tumors are present in almost all case mutations of KIT-CD117. When located in different places other than the gastrointestinal tract they are called extragastrointestinal stromal tumors (EGISTs). We present the case of a 70-year old patient with abdominal pain. Computed tomography (C/T) and ultrasound (U/S) indicated the existence of a hypoechoic enlarged 9.6 x 10 cm uterus due to leiomyoma. The clinical condition of the patient deteriorated and obtained the characteristics of an acute abdomen. The patient underwent urgent exploratory laparotomy, which revealed the incidental existence of a large tumorous formation in the pouch of Douglas. A total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral ovarectomy, omentectomy, and tumor resection from the rectouterine pouch were performed. Histology analysis confirmed the diagnosis of a malignant EGIST. EGISTs are infrequent in pelvis. In our case, pelvic EGIST led to an acute pain symptomatology obtaining characteristics of invasive uterine leiomyosarcoma. Pelvic imaging with classical methods of U/S and C/T may lead to confusion and false diagnosis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report about an EGIST located in the rectouterine pouch of Douglas leading to acute abdomen symptomatology.
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PMID:Extragastrointestinal stromal tumor mimicking a uterine tumor. A rare clinical entity. 1798 44

Heterotopic pancreas is defined as the presence of pancreatic tissue that lacks anatomic and vascular continuity with the main body of the pancreas. Frequent symptoms and signs are epigastric pain, abdominal fullness and tarry stools. The most frequent locations of heterotopic pancreas tissue are the stomach and jejunum; however, there are a few reported cases of heterotopic pancreas in the mesentery of the small intestine. Heterotopic pancreas may or may not cause complications related to the pathologic conditions of the pancreas itself. Here we present a case showing an unusual cause of acute abdomen, which caused confusion in the clinical diagnosis preoperatively. The definitive diagnosis was achieved only after histopathologic examination in the postoperative period. Final diagnosis of the patient was mesenteric heterotopic pancreatitis, which was a complication of heterotopic pancreas itself with a rarely seen location. In conclusion, mesenteric heterotopic pancreatitis is seen very rarely and may be an unusual cause of acute abdomen. If the pathologic condition develops in the heterotopic tissue, as in the case of heterotopic pancreas, signs and symptoms of the disease may cause confusion in the clinical diagnosis. We agree that preoperative diagnosis of heterotopic pancreas is still difficult, even in a symptomatic patient.
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PMID:An unusual cause of acute abdomen: mesenteric heterotopic pancreatitis causing confusion in clinical diagnosis. 1953 49

Placenta percreta is a complication of pregnancy with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Spontaneous uterine rupture in early pregnancy due to placenta percreta is rare. We report a case of this life-threatening complication occurring at the sixteenth week of gestation. The patient presented with signs of shock, acute abdomen, and evidence of hemoperitoneum. The pregnancy was viable with a normal ultrasound appearance that created some confusion and there was a dilemma in the diagnosis of this case. Various obstetric and surgical causes were taken into consideration. The patient was taken to the operating room immediately for exploratory laparotomy. She was found to have fundal uterine rupture, which was managed by uterine repair. This patient had prior cesarean section and dilatation and curettage; factors well known to predispose for placenta percreta. Here, we emphasize the importance of a fast decision and surgical intervention to save a patient's life in cases of uterine rupture.
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PMID:Placenta percreta and uterine rupture at 16 weeks. 2386 Aug 97

Patients with autism often find admission to hospital an anxious time. Awareness of the condition, a speedy diagnosis and flexibility in adapting treatment plans will facilitate early discharge and return to their familiar environment. We describe a patient with severe autism who presented with an acute abdomen secondary to ingestion of a foreign body which required laparotomy. Communication directly to medical staff was greatly limited due to severe autism and close liaison with family members was essential in interpreting scant clinical signs. At the time of surgery a rubber bottle teat was found causing transection of small bowel due to erosion of the foreign body. The postoperative course was fraught with challenges and ensuring side room nursing care with family members present throughout his admission minimised postoperative stress and confusion. We recommend awareness of management strategies for patients with autism to ensure rapid recovery and early discharge home.
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PMID:Management of a patient with autism following ingestion of a foreign body. 2496 64

Wandering spleen or splenoptosis is an uncommon entity and often an asymptomatic finding of acute abdomen in the emergency department. A high index of suspicion for splenic torsion is required, particularly in patients with known splenomegaly, as this condition could potentially lead to splenic infarction. Recognition of this condition can help avoid potential confusion with acute abdomen of other aetiologies. Herein, we present a unique case of wandering spleen with chronic torsion, which, to the best of our knowledge, has never been described in an elderly patient with haemoglobin H thalassaemia. We also review the literature for the aetiology and pathogenesis of wandering spleen, and discuss the relevant diagnostic modalities and treatment options.
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PMID:Wandering spleen with chronic torsion in a patient with thalassaemia. 2563 Mar 26

Fulminant necrotising amoebic colitis is a complication of untreated amoebiasis. This is seen in mainly low-income countries. It has a high mortality rate and is difficult to diagnose. We present an extremely rare case of fulminant necrotising amoebic colitis that caused diagnostic confusion in mimicking an acute abdomen, presumably caused by a perforated duodenal ulcer.
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PMID:Fulminant necrotising amoebic colitis: A diagnostic conundrum. 2698 13

Diabetes mellitus is a well-known metabolic disease, with an increasing incidence around the world. The histological and clinical features of many diseases, including acute abdomen, are significantly modified in diabetic patients and thus the therapeutic approach should be carefully considered. Two main errors are possible, and they may equally cause a poor outcome of the patient: a delayed surgical procedure in peritonitis, due to its atypical clinical and biological expression, or an un-necessary laparotomy in a diabetic patient with acidosis, which transforms an already severe condition into a worse one. Therefore, in order to avoid confusion of diagnosis and treatment, the extended use of advanced imaging techniques (CT, MRI) or even a laparoscopic inspection of the peritoneal cavity may proove justified in many cases.
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PMID:Acute Abdomen in Diabetic Patients - What Should We Do? 3038 86