Clinical Outcome of Nontraumatic Acute Abdominal Pain in Paediatric Patients Admitted in General Surgery Department

Acute abdomen in children is a frequently encountered serious condition. Aim of this study is to evaluate symptoms and signs in children admitted in surgery department and to determine clinical outcomes of acute abdominal pain in children admitted.

Prospective study conducted in Department of General Surgery, Saraswathi Institute of Medical Sciences, Hapur from February 2016 to January 2017.

Children aged 2 to 14 years who presented to General Surgery Department with complaint of acute abdominal pain of less than 5 days duration and admitted in General Surgery Department were included. Those having H/O trauma previous abdominal surgery left follow-up excluded from study. Detailed history, thorough clinical examination, diagnosis, laboratory imaging findings hospital course of patient were recorded. Data was analyzed by SPSS.

Total patients included in study were 360. 200 patients were male and 160 patients were female. Patients were divided into three categories on the basis of diagnosis: Acute Appendicitis, nonspecific pain abdomen and miscellaneous group. Acute Appendicitis was diagnosed in 155 (43.05%) patients. The patients in whom cause of pain abdomen could not to be found were included in Nonspecific Pain Abdomen (NPSA group). NPSA group had 126 (35%) patients. Rests of the 80 (22.22%) patients were included in miscellaneous group. Pain right lower quadrant, tenderness in right iliac fossa, guarding tachycardia, anorexia, fever were all significantly higher in patients with acute appendicitis. Out of 360 patients, 181(50.28%) required surgical intervention.

Surgery was required in most of the children with acute abdominal pain. Acute Appendicitis was the most common pathology. Detailed clinical history, through physical examination is the cornerstone of the diagnosis.