[Effect of intestinal ultrasound on choice of surgical procedure in acute abdominal pain].
Differential diagnosis in patients with acute abdominal pain represents a difficult assignment in surgery involving the indication for urgent operation and the operation technique.


OBJECTIVE
The value of sonography in diseases of the bowels for correct indication for early laparotomy was investigated.


METHODS
In a retrospective analysis we compared the result of sonography on 159 patients with acute abdominal pain with the first clinical assessment.


RESULTS
The sensitivity of this technique was found to be 38.9% for acute appendicitis, 57.1% for diverticulitis and 76.9% for obstructive ileus. The specificity ranged above 90% in each case. In consideration of more than two sonomorphological criterias for pathological alterations of the intestines the positive predictive value achieved 100%.


CONCLUSIONS
Low diagnostic sensitivity with high specificity implies the necessity to intensity routine ultrasonic investigation of the gut.
Heistermann
H P
HP
Chirurgische Universitätsklinik der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Marienhospital Herne.
Joosten
U
U
Krawzak
H W
HW
Hohlbach
G
G
D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004239:Diverticulitis, Colonic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014463:Ultrasonography