An internist's approach to acute abdominal pain.

To understand the surgical approach to acute abdominal pain, the internist must be familiar with common presentations of most abdominal emergencies; these emergencies include acute appendicitis, acute gall bladder disease (biliary colic, acute cholecystitis, and acute pancreatitis), ischemic bowel disease and ischemic colitis, abdominal aortic aneurysm, and intestinal obstruction. Nothing compares to experience; this article reviews the salient points that deserve consideration.