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Query: UMLS:C0021843 (bowel obstruction)
 9,927 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Intermittent incomplete intestinal obstruction was proven by sonography in 25 male and 48 female patients with an age range of 10 to 88 years. All of them suffered from intermittent colicky pain, nausea and meteorism followed by liquid stools. Only 52 patients had undergone a total of 69 abdominal operations. The pertinent symptoms could be traced back for 6 months to 10 years (4 +/- 3 years). In 47 patients, intake of bulky food during the last 12 to 48 hours triggered the onset of disorders. The preadmission diagnoses were: incomplete intestinal obstruction (only 21), gastroenteritis (15), biliary colic (13), peptic ulcer (10), renal colic (4), food intoxication (4), appendicitis (3), adnexitis (3). Sonographic findings were: inconstant lumen distension, visible bowel wall movements with contractions of 3 to 6 mm, food bolus, enhanced paradoxical peristalsis, proof of distended and collapsed gut segments, bowel wall edema and free peritoneal fluid. Based on these ultrasonic findings and trend observation, conservative treatment was successfully instituted. All patients were discharged symptom-free with no subsequent attacks for 12 months. 20 patients, subsequently suffering from complete intestinal obstruction after 1 to 3 years, were operated on, comprising 8 cases of intestinal resection, 7 cases of adhesiolysis and intestinal tube splinting, 3 cases of band dissection and 2 cases of palliative bypass procedures. The diagnostic accuracy of abdominal ultrasonography is clearly demonstrated by the fact, that 11 of these patients with intermittent incomplete intestinal obstruction and now suffering from complete obstruction had no previous abdominal surgery.
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PMID:[Intermittent incomplete ileus of the small intestine. Sonographic diagnosis and trends]. 217 61

A retrospective review was performed to determine the usefulness of plain abdominal radiographs in patients presenting to the emergency department with gallbladder disease. Patients with the clinical diagnosis of biliary tract disease were divided into two groups: those with confirmed biliary tract disease and those who did not have gall bladder disease. There were no major radiologic findings (pneumoperitoneum, pneumobilia, or bowel obstruction) in any patient with biliary tract disease. No significant difference was noted in the incidence of minor radiologic findings (right upper quadrant calcification, mild ileus and right basilar atelectasis) in patients with biliary colic and acute cholecystitis. Additionally, there was no significant difference in minor findings between patients with biliary tract and nonbiliary tract disease. Plain abdominal radiographic findings were found to be nonspecific in patients with gallbladder disease and not useful in differentiating between patients with biliary colic and acute cholecystitis. Our results also suggest that plain abdominal radiographic findings are not useful in differentiating between patients with and without biliary tract disease, although the selection of patients without biliary tract disease may have biased this finding.
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PMID:Efficacy of plain abdominal radiography in patients with biliary tract disease. 237 35

In conclusion, the most important task in evaluating an immigrant or traveler with abdominal pain is to consider the myriad tropical diseases that mimic common western conditions. A careful history may point to antecedent symptoms and a time course that are incompatible with typical appendicitis, biliary colic, or bowel obstruction, but physical examination is generally not specific enough to differentiate between tropical and ordinary abdominal crises. Blood work for eosinophilia and a rapid examination of the stools by an experienced technician may indicate a need for judicious delay in exploratory laparotomy. In this interval, imaging studies, serologic tests, and therapeutic drug trials may clarify the diagnosis.
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PMID:Tropical medicine and the acute abdomen. 266 58

To understand the surgical approach to acute abdominal pain, the internist must be familiar with common presentations of most abdominal emergencies; these emergencies include acute appendicitis, acute gall bladder disease (biliary colic, acute cholecystitis, and acute pancreatitis), ischemic bowel disease and ischemic colitis, abdominal aortic aneurysm, and intestinal obstruction. Nothing compares to experience; this article reviews the salient points that deserve consideration.
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PMID:An internist's approach to acute abdominal pain. 837 23

The increasing incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) has led many to predict a corresponding increase in abdominal TB. This study reports the incidence, presentation, and outcome of abdominal TB to elucidate factors that might assist the surgeon to treat this potentially curable disease. A retrospective review of patients diagnosed with tuberculosis between 1993 and 1995 was performed at two hospitals. Diagnosis of abdominal TB was based on acid fast bacilli on tissue stains and/or culture. Seven patients were diagnosed with abdominal TB. Two patients were HIV positive; six were recent immigrants. Abdominal pain, fever, and significant weight loss were the most common symptoms. All preoperative radiologic tests failed to demonstrate findings suggestive of TB. All patients were brought to operation. Indications included perforated viscus (2), acute abdomen (1), small bowel obstruction (1), colocutaneous fistula (1), pelvic neoplasm (1), and biliary colic (1). Abdominal TB was either diagnosed or suspected intraoperatively in six patients. Postoperative anti-TB chemotherapy was promptly instituted. Although abdominal TB can be cured medically if treated early enough, the nonspecific presentation delays diagnosis in the majority of cases. Diagnosis of abdominal TB can be made or at least highly suspected intraoperatively such that anti-TB medications can be initiated promptly. Appropriate surgical therapy and prompt initiation of anti-tuberculosis medications can successfully treat abdominal TB.
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PMID:Abdominal tuberculosis: the surgical perspective. 881 73

Ascariasis is a helminthic infection of global distribution with more than 1.4 billion persons infected throughout the world. The majority of infections occur in the developing countries of Asia and Latin America. Of 4 million people infected in the United States, a large percentage are immigrants from developing countries. Ascaris-related clinical disease is restricted to subjects with heavy worm load, and an estimated 1.2 to 2 million such cases, with 20,000 deaths, occur in endemic areas per year. More often, recurring moderate infections cause stunting of linear growth, cause reduced cognitive function, and contribute to existing malnutrition in children in endemic areas. Ascaris infection is acquired by the ingestion of the embryonated eggs. The larvae, while passing through the pulmonary migration phase for maturation, cause ascaris pneumonia. Intestinal ascaris is usually detected as an incidental finding. Ascaris-induced intestinal obstruction is a frequent complication in children with heavy worm loads. It can be complicated by intussusception, perforation, and gangrene of the bowel. Acute appendicitis and appendicular perforation can occur as a result of worms entering the appendix. HPA is a frequent cause of biliary and pancreatic disease in endemic areas. It occurs in adult women and can cause biliary colic, acute cholecystitis, acute cholangitis, acute pancreatitis, and hepatic abscess. RPC causing hepatic duct calculi is possibly an aftermath of recurrent biliary invasion in such areas. Ultrasonography can detect worms in the biliary tract and pancreas and is a useful noninvasive technique for diagnosis and follow-up of such patients. ERCP can help diagnose biliary and pancreatic ascariasis, including ascaris in the duodenum. Also, ERCP can be used to extract worms from the biliary and pancreatic ducts when indicated. Pyrantel pomoate, mebendazole, albendazole, and levamisole are effective drugs and can be used for mass therapy to control ascariasis in endemic areas.
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PMID:Ascariasis. 886 40

Ascariasis is the most common intestinal helminthiasis worldwide. Heavily infected individuals are prone to develop bowel obstruction or perforation as well as biliary disease. Nevertheless, the presence of roundworms in the biliary tree outside endemic areas is very uncommon. The migration of these worms to the biliary system can cause biliary colic, pancreatitis, or even acute suppurative cholangitis with hepatic abscesses and septicemia. We report here on 2 infants with 14 and 15 months and a 9-year-old boy who suffered from massive biliary ascariasis and who presented with acute suppurative cholangitis. All cases were successfully treated by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with worm extraction and adjuvant medical therapy. Physicians should be aware of ascariasis in patients with pancreatobiliary symptoms who have traveled to endemic areas or in immigrants from these areas.
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PMID:Endoscopic removal of Ascaris lumbricoides from the biliary tract as emergency treatment for acute suppurative cholangitis. 1155 71

Infestation with Ascaris lumbricoides (roundworm) is very common in the tropics and subtropics. Patients with ascariasis can be asymptomatic or may present with different clinical features in the form of simple nausea, decreased appetite, abdominal pain or more severe bowel obstruction, perforation, intussusception, biliary colic etc. Ultrasonography (USG) can be quick, safe, noninvasive and relatively inexpensive tool in diagnosing the presence of worms and also evaluating response to treatment (1, 2, and 3). Here we present four cases of roundworm infestation presenting with acute abdomen in the emergency department, which were diagnosed by USG and further imaging features of ascariasis on USG is described.
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PMID:Roundworm infestation presenting as acute abdomen in four cases--sonographic diagnosis. 1640 53

Ascaris lumbricoides is one of the most common parasitic infestations of the gastrointestinal tract worldwide. During the intestinal phase of the disease, the adult worms usually remain clinically silent, sometimes causing a variety of non-specific abdominal symptoms. When present in large numbers, the worms may get intertwined into a bolus, causing intestinal obstruction, volvulus or even perforation. Occasionally, the adult Ascaris worm may migrate into the Vater's ampulla and enter the bile duct, gall bladder or pancreatic duct, leading to a variety of complications such as biliary colic, gallstone formation, cholecystitis, pyogenic cholangitis, liver abscess and pancreatitis. Imaging plays a significant role in showing the presence of worms and possible complications in intestinal as well as hepatobiliary ascariasis. This pictorial essay aims to illustrate various imaging features of ascariasis and its associated complications.
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PMID:Imaging of ascariasis. 1795 83

The incidence of acute abdominal pain ranges between 5-10% of all visits at emergency department. Abdominal emergencies of hospital visits may include surgical and non-surgical emergencies. The most common causes of acute abdomen are appendicitis, biliary colic, cholecystitis, diverticulitis, bowel obstruction, visceral perforation, pancreatitis, peritonitis, salpingitis, mesenteric adenitis and renal colic. Good skills in early diagnosis require a sound knowledge of basic anatomy and physiology of gastrointestinal tract, which are reflected during history taking and particularly, physical examination of the abdomen. Advanced diagnostic approaches such as radiography and endoscopy enhance the treatment for acute abdomen including pharmacological and surgical treatment. Therapeutic endoscopy, interventional radiology treatment and therapy using adult laparoscopy are the common modalities for treating patients with acute abdomen.
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PMID:Diagnostic approach and management of acute abdominal pain. 2331 78


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