Abstract

377 patients complaining abdominal pain who were treated by surgical department in emergency room from 1989 June to 1990 June were analyzeed and disease prevalence were obtained as follows; acute appendicitis 163 cases (43.1 %), non-specific abdominal pain (NSAPs) 61 cases (16.1 %), cholelithiasis 33 cases (8.7%), perforated peptic ulcer 23 cases (6.1 %), intestinal abhesion 21 cases (5.6%), gynecologic problems 18 cases (4.8%), intraabdominal malignancy 17 cases (4.5%), abdominal trauma 14 cases (3.7%) and others 28 cases (7.4%). The most frequent problem in the age group 0-15 were non-specific abdominal pain, and cholelithiasis in the age group over 60. But not a single case of non-specific abdominal pain was found in the age group over 60. The overall morbidity was 16.2%, whereas mortality 2.7%. Increasing tendency of morbidity found in the age group over all 60 were due to respiratory complications, and cholelithiasis. Trauma was the most frequent cause of death. Among surgical interventions of 291 cases (79.3%), 31 cases (10.6%) showed negative laparotomies which were explored under the impression of acute appendicitis. Because only a few study about the acute abdomen in general review has been tried, we have tried initial analysis of acute abdominal pain patients in Emergency room treated by surgical department.