This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Investigations

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

The three principle conditions in the differential diagnosis of a suspected perforated peptic ulcer are acute pancreatitis, acute cholecystitis, and another perforated viscus e.g. colon diverticula. Investigations are directed at discriminating these conditions and preparing patient for possible surgery.

  • blood tests - FBC, U+Es, LFTs, amylase, group and save
  • erect CXR - may show gas under the diaphragm - and plain abdominal film
  • ECG
  • gastroscopy is contraindicated: this is because the stomach is inflated during this procedure, and air and gastric contents would be propelled into the peritoneal cavity.

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Annotations allow you to add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation. E.g. a website or number. This information will always show when you visit this page.

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.