Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition

The Korean Society of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (대한소아소화기영양학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Acute Abdominal Pain in Children

  • Kim, Joon Sung (Department of Pediatrics, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine)
  • Received : 2013.11.19
  • Accepted : 2013.12.07
  • Published : 2013.12.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Acute abdominal pain is a common complaint in childhood, and it can be caused by a wide range of underlying surgical and non-surgical conditions. The most common non-surgical condition is gastroenteritis, while the most common surgical condition is appendicitis. Abdominal pain in children varies with age, associated symptoms, and pain location. Although acute abdominal pain is usually benign and self-limiting, there are uncommon but life-threatening conditions that require urgent care. Meticulous history taking and physical examinations are essential to determine the cause of acute abdominal pain and to identify children with surgical conditions such as appendicitis.

Keywords

References

  1. D'Agostino J. Common abdominal emergencies in children. Emerg Med Clin North Am 2002;20:139-53. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0733-8627(03)00055-5
  2. Grant HW, Parker MC, Wilson MS, Menzies D, Sunderland G, Thompson JN, et al. Adhesions after abdominal surgery in children. J Pediatr Surg 2008; 43:152-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2007.09.038
  3. Scholer SJ, Pituch K, Orr DP, Dittus RS. Clinical outcomes of children with acute abdominal pain. Pediatrics 1996;98:680-5.
  4. Ross A, LeLeiko NS. Acute abdominal pain. Pediatr Rev 2010;31:135-44. https://doi.org/10.1542/pir.31-4-135
  5. Leung AK, Sigalet DL. Acute abdominal pain in children. Am Fam Physician 2003;67:2321-6.
  6. Reynolds SL, Jaffe DM. Diagnosing abdominal pain in a pediatric emergency department. Pediatr Emerg Care 1992;8:126-8. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006565-199206000-00003
  7. Carty HM. Paediatric emergencies: non-traumatic abdominal emergencies. Eur Radiol 2002;12:2835-48.
  8. Kwok MY, Kim MK, Gorelick MH. Evidence-based approach to the diagnosis of appendicitis in children. Pediatr Emerg Care 2004;20:690-8. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.pec.0000142957.34501.8d
  9. Bundy DG, Byerley JS, Liles EA, Perrin EM, Katznelson J, Rice HE. Does this child have appendicitis? JAMA 2007;298:438-51.
  10. Mason JD. The evaluation of acute abdominal pain in children. Emerg Med Clin North Am 1996;14:629-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0733-8627(05)70271-6
  11. Loening-Baucke V, Swidsinski A. Constipation as cause of acute abdominal pain in children. J Pediatr 2007;151:666-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2007.05.006
  12. Vignault F, Filiatrault D, Brandt ML, Garel L, Grignon A, Ouimet A. Acute appendicitis in children: evaluation with US. Radiology 1990;176:501-4. https://doi.org/10.1148/radiology.176.2.2195594
  13. Kristinsson G, Wall SP, Crain EF. The digital rectal examination in pediatric trauma: a pilot study. J Emerg Med 2007;32:59-62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2006.10.002
  14. Kwan KY, Nager AL. Diagnosing pediatric appendicitis: usefulness of laboratory markers. Am J Emerg Med 2010;28:1009-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajem.2009.06.004
  15. Soundappan SV, Holland AJ, Cass DT, Lam A. Diagnostic accuracy of surgeon-performed focused abdominal sonography (FAST) in blunt paediatric trauma. Injury 2005;36:970-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2005.02.026
  16. Reich JD, Brogdon B, Ray WE, Eckert J, Gorell H. Use of CT scan in the diagnosis of pediatric acute appendicitis. Pediatr Emerg Care 2000;16:241-3. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006565-200008000-00006
  17. Saito JM. Beyond appendicitis: evaluation and surgical treatment of pediatric acute abdominal pain. Curr Opin Pediatr 2012;24:357-64. https://doi.org/10.1097/MOP.0b013e328352704e
  18. Nissman SA, Kaplan LJ, Mann BD. Critically reappraising the literature-driven practice of analgesia administration for acute abdominal pain in the emergency room prior to surgical evaluation. Am J Surg 2003;185:291-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-9610(02)01412-5

Cited by

  1. A Case of Intussusception with Acute Appendicitis vol.18, pp.2, 2013, https://doi.org/10.5223/pghn.2015.18.2.134
  2. Campylobacter jejuni-assoziierte Gastroenteritis und akute Appendizitis: zwei Kasuistiken vol.164, pp.8, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00112-016-0076-0
  3. Use of Clinical Data to Predict Appendicitis in Patients with Equivocal US Findings vol.280, pp.2, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1148/radiol.2016151412
  4. Diagnostic Value of White Blood Cell and C-Reactive Protein in Pediatric Appendicitis vol.2016, pp.None, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/6508619
  5. The intra- and extraluminal appendiceal microbiome in pediatric patients : A comparative study vol.96, pp.52, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1097/md.0000000000009518
  6. Point-of-care ultrasound identification of pneumatosis intestinalis in pediatric abdominal pain: a case report vol.9, pp.1, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1186/s13089-017-0057-0
  7. Diagnostic Accuracy of Serum and Urine S100A8/A9 and Serum Amyloid A in Probable Acute Abdominal Pain at Emergency Department vol.2018, pp.None, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/6457347
  8. Acute abdominal pain causes in patients referred to hospital treatment vol.53, pp.1, 2013, https://doi.org/10.5937/mckg53-19137
  9. An Atypical Case of Abdominal Pain in a Toddler : A Diagnostic Challenge vol.41, pp.3, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1097/tme.0000000000000248
  10. A novel nomogram for the differential diagnosis between advanced and early appendicitis in pediatric patients vol.13, pp.14, 2013, https://doi.org/10.2217/bmm-2019-0036
  11. The International/Canadian Hereditary Angioedema Guideline vol.15, pp.1, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1186/s13223-019-0376-8
  12. Acute mesenteric lymphadenitis in children: findings related to differential diagnosis and hospitalization vol.16, pp.2, 2020, https://doi.org/10.5114/aoms.2018.79430
  13. Appendicitis-Like Picture Induced by Foreign Body in a 2-Year-Old Boy vol.2020, pp.None, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8877754
  14. Influence of age on clinical presentation, diagnosis delay and outcome in pre-school children with acute appendicitis vol.20, pp.1, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-020-02053-5
  15. Uncertain diagnoses in a children’s hospital: patient characteristics and outcomes vol.8, pp.3, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1515/dx-2019-0058