The term acute abdomen refers to an emergency situation in medicine, namely an acute onset of symptoms and signs around the abdomen, indicating severe underlying disease. Urgent and specific treatment is needed and may be life-saving. This treatment will be, in many cases but not always, an operation.

Acute abdomen is frequently used as a synonym for peritonitis, although the clinical picture may also suggest bowel obstruction or stenosis, internal bleeding (e.g. gastrointestinal bleeding) or ischemia.

General surgery | Medical emergencies | Medical terms

acuut abdomen