title: Chest disease presenting as an acute abdomen.
abstract: Four patients with primary disease in the chest are discussed, each coming to laparotomy. The final postoperative diagnoses were empyema, pulmonary tuberculosis, pulmonary embolism and bacterial endocarditis. These cases well illustrate the real risk of confusing an acute chest condition with an acute abdomen.
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004653:Empyema / Q000175:diagnosis; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis; D013896:Thoracic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis