Gastrointestinal and Urologic Emergencies

Learning objectives (13)

1. Define the term acute abdomen — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 755); confirm wording in your course copy.
2. Demonstrate the assessment of a patient’s abdomen — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 756); confirm wording in your course copy.
3. Describe other organ systems that can cause abdominal pain — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 755); confirm wording in your course copy.
4. Describe pathologic conditions of the gastrointestinal, genital, and urinary systems — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 755); confirm wording in your course copy.
5. Describe the assessment and management of acute and chronic gastrointestinal hemorrhage, peritonitis, and ulcerative diseases — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 755); confirm wording in your course copy.
6. Describe the assessment of a patient with a gastrointestinal or urologic emergency — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 755); confirm wording in your course copy.
7. Describe the basic anatomy and physiology of the gastrointestinal, genital, and urinary systems — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 755); confirm wording in your course copy.
8. Describe the emergency medical care of the patient with a gastrointestinal or urologic emergency — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 756); confirm wording in your course copy.
9. Describe the procedures to follow in managing the patient with shock associated with abdominal emergencies — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 755); confirm wording in your course copy.
10. Explain the concept of referred pain — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 755); confirm wording in your course copy.
11. Explain the principles of kidney dialysis — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 756); confirm wording in your course copy.
12. Identify the signs and symptoms, and common causes, of an acute abdomen — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 755); confirm wording in your course copy.
13. List the most common abdominal emergencies, along with the most common locations of direct and referred pain — Knowledge/skills objective (printed page 755); confirm wording in your course copy.

Vocabulary (13)

Peritonitis

Inflammation of the peritoneum — the lining of the abdominal cavity — usually from infection or perforation; causes severe abdominal pain and rigidity.

Hematemesis

Vomiting blood — bright red suggests active upper-GI bleeding; coffee-ground emesis suggests older bleeding.

Melena

Black, tarry, sticky stool indicating digested blood from an upper-GI source.

Hematochezia

Bright red blood passed through the rectum, usually from a lower-GI source.

Cholecystitis

Inflammation of the gallbladder, typically from a gallstone blocking the cystic duct.

Appendicitis

Inflammation of the appendix that can perforate and cause peritonitis if untreated.

Pancreatitis

Inflammation of the pancreas — acute pancreatitis presents with severe epigastric pain radiating to the back.

Dialysis

Medical treatment that filters waste products and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys cannot — performed via hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis.

Arteriovenous (AV) fistula

A surgically created connection between an artery and vein used as long-term vascular access for hemodialysis.

Kidney stones (urolithiasis)

Hard mineral deposits that form in the kidneys and can cause severe flank pain when they pass through the urinary tract.

Urinary tract infection (UTI)

An infection in any part of the urinary system; in older adults may present primarily as altered mental status.

Referred pain

Pain perceived at a location different from its true anatomic source — e.g., gallbladder pain referred to the right shoulder.

Guarding

Voluntary or involuntary tensing of abdominal muscles to protect underlying inflamed tissue from palpation.

Sequence practice (2 puzzles on Quiz Me)

Quick fire sample (13 of 13 on Quiz Me)