Acute abdominal pain resident survival guide

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Definition

Acute abdominal pain has a duration of less than several days, while subacute abdominal pain has a duration of more than several days but less than six months.

Chronic abdominal pain has a duration of more than six months, either constantly or intermittently.^[1]

Acute abdomen (also known as surgical abdomen) is defined as a sudden, abrupt onset of severe localized or generalized abdominal pain with abdominal rigidity.^[2] It is less than 24 hours in duration and requires urgent evaluation and diagnosis because it may indicate a need for immediate surgical intervention.^[3]

↑ Lawrence S. Cohen MD; Mark W. Green MD (2010). Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease- 2 Volume Set: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management, Expert Consult Premium Edition - Enhanced ... & Liver Disease (Sleisinger/Fordtran)). Philadelphia: Saunders. ISBN 1-4160-6189-4.
↑ "ICD-10 Version:2010".
↑ Venes, Donald (2013). Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary (Thumb-indexed Version) (Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary (Thumb Index Version)). Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company. ISBN 0-8036-2977-X.