The acute abdomen.

Acute abdomen patients present a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to emergency clinicians. The decision to perform surgery or to treat medically is often difficult to make and requires assimilating patient information, laboratory findings, radiological studies, and DPL. The importance of careful and repetitive PE cannot be overemphasized when managing these patients. If all diagnostics performed are not definitive and the patient continues to exhibit signs of abdominal pain, it is advisable to explore the abdominal cavity while administering supportive measures. Abdominal ultrasonography is emerging as a valuable diagnostic tool for the acute abdomen patient. Laparoscopy, CT, and CAD may also prove useful in certain cases.