title: Lower Abdominal Pain.
abstract: Although most frequently presenting with lower abdominal pain, appendicitis, colitis, and diverticulitis can cause pain throughout the abdomen and can cause peritoneal and retroperitoneal symptoms. Evaluation and management of lower intestinal disease requires a nuanced approach by the emergency physician, sometimes requiring computed tomography, ultrasonography, MRI, layered imaging, shared decision making, serial examination, and/or close follow-up. Once a presumed or confirmed diagnosis is made, appropriate treatment is initiated, and may include surgery, antibiotics, and/or steroids. Appendicitis patients should be admitted. Diverticulitis and inflammatory bowel disease can frequently be managed on an outpatient basis, but may require admission and surgical consultation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, 3800 Reservoir Road, NW, G-CCC, Washington, DC 20007, USA. Electronic address: david.carlberg@gunet.georgetown.edu.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Carlberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 110 South Paca Street, 6th Floor, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, 3800 Reservoir Road, NW, G-CCC, Washington, DC 20007, USA; Department of Emergency Medicine, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, 110 Irving Street, NW, Washington, DC 20010, USA.
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Dubin
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods
keywords: Appendicitis; Crohn’s disease; Diverticulitis; Inflammatory bowel disease; Review; Ulcerative colitis