Abdominal pain (geriatrics)

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Background

  • Elderly patients
    • Surgical emergencies are more common in elderly than in any other patient population
    • Viral gastroenteritis is uncommon
    • Conservative admission strategy is strongly advocated
  • Patients with immunosuppression often have delayed or atypical presentations
  • Fever is not a reliable marker for surgical disease

Elderly

  • 60% are surgical
  • Acute onset associated with catastrophe
  • Med list is important
  • Abd exam generally unhelpful/difficult to localize pain
  • Misc 25%
    • MI, dissection, mesenteric ischemia
  • Biliary Disease - 21%
  • Unknown - 20%
  • Obstruction - 12%
    • previous surgery adhesions, internal/external hernia, malignancy
    • sigmoid/cecal volv - persistant pain, can be subacute, nausea and vomiting, may not have fever
  • Perforated Viscus - 7%
    • nsaids
  • Diverticular - 10%
  • Appendicitis - 5%
    • 60% perforation in OR, lacking rebound/guarding
  • Renal Colic - 4%


See Also