ABSTRACT
Surgical Abdomen The so-called acute abdomen indicative of peritonitis usually signals a need for emergent diagnosis and often exploratory surgery in the general population. The hallmarks of this presentation are pain, usually of short duration, and abdominal tenderness on examination, often with rigidity and guarding. These findings are related to acute inflammation of the peritoneum that may stem from many causes; most concerning among these is spilling of gastrointestinal contents into the peritoneum secondary to perforation of a hollow viscous. Among otherwise healthy patients, an acute abdomen may be the result of appendicitis, cholecystitis, perforated diverticulum, or perforated peptic ulcer among others. Oncology patients remain at risk for such complications even when hospitalized for other reasons or therapies. Additionally, these patients are at risk for peritonitis specifically related to underlying malignancy, such as a bulky tumor with anatomic disruption, or alteration of intestinal/gastric mucosa secondary to chemotherapy or other medications.
