Value of abdominal sonography in rapid assessment of acute abdominal pain in a peripheral health care facility in a village in El Minia Governorate

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to assess the role of portable sonar in improving the health outcome of acute abdominal pain patients through early diagnosis in a peripheral health care facility. All patients with the main complaint of acute abdominal pain and presented to the health center of a village in El Minia from January to March 2000 were interviewed for history taking about accompanying symptoms and were subjected to abdominal examination, blood pressure measurement and abdominal sonography, laboratory investigation [Renal function tests, liver function tests, blood glucose] as well as ECG. Patients with chronic abdominal pain were excluded from the study. It was recommended to supply some of the key peripheral health care facilities with such a screening package including portable sonar and to train primary health care providers to use it as indicated as to minimize the complications resulted from delayed diagnosis and referral. It will be useful to design a standard checklist for the common conditions to be used for the management of patients in peripheral health care facilities