BACKGROUND: The gynecology or obstetric acute abdomen in woman present a low risk, although the diagnosis and treatment may be a challenge. The aim of this study was to analize the most frequent causes of acute abdomen in gynecology and obstetrics. METHODS: We reviewed 287 cases, from January 1987 to December 1997, attending in Discipline of Gynecology and Obstetrics of the Faculty of Medicine of "Triângulo Mineiro". RESULTS: Ouur results showed that ectopic pregnancy was the most frequent cause of hemorrhagic acute abdomen, with 98.5% of the cases. Pelvic pain was the most common symptom (69.1%). All patients were submitted to a laparotomy; salpingectomy was performed in 92.6% of cases. The most frequent cause of inflammatory acute abdomen was inflammatory pelvic disease, with 92.6%. Acute pelvic pain was present in 96,5% of the cases and fever in 56.2%. Penicillin was successfully used in 92.1%. From the 206 cases of IPD, 13(6.5%) were submitted to laparotomy. CONCLUSIONS:The authors concluded that acute abdomen for ginecology or obstetrical disorders shows a variability of symptoms that may lead to a wrong diagnostic. Meanwhile, the gynecologist must be aware of these variabilities to perform a correct diagnosis.
Acute abdomen; Ectopic pregnancy; Inflammatory pelvic disease; Torsion of the adnexa
