THE EFFICIENCY OF A BASIC DIAGNOSTIC WORK -UP IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE ABDOMINAL-PAIN

This report describes a retrospective study concerning 314 patients su ffering from acute abdominal pain admitted to the surgical emergency u nit of Zurich University Hospital in 1992. Basic diagnostic work-up (h istory, physical examination, blood tests, sonography and abdominal X- ray) revealed the final diagnosis in 188 patients. Sonography was esse ntial in 77 cases. Only 33 patients required additional examinations, such as CT-scan, gastroscopy or contrast X-rays. Ninety-three patients were discharged with a final diagnosis of ''non-specific abdominal pa in'' (NSAP) after their symptoms had improved. A follow-up examination of these patients 6-18 months later resulted in a final diagnosis of somatic diseases in 8 % of cases. This study demonstrated that the bas ic surgical diagnostics are efficient and reveal the final diagnosis w ith minimal delay. Abdominal sonography is the most important diagnost ic tool in this context and should, therefore, be mastered and employe d by the surgeon himself.