Different Compound Diagnoses in Patients Presented with Upper Abdominal Complaints

Abstract

Back ground: Upper abdominal complaints include a variety of symptoms that make the patients seeking the medical advice. Error in diagnosis leads to unnecessary admission to hospital, delay in treatment and possible increasing in mortality rate. Objectives of study: • To show that this group of patients may have more than one diagnosis. • Detect the symptoms which are associated with high incidence of compound diagnosis. Patients and method: One Hundred patients who are with different upper abdominal complaints collected randomly from the patients who referred to surgical clinic in Alkufa teaching hospital , All of them submitted to U/S and OGD examination in the period from the first of NOV. 1996 through JUN.1997. Result: Ten patients which represent 10%of the sample had more than one diagnosis and the most of them were complaining from dyspepsia as primary symptoms or as an associated symptom. Conclusion: Many patients who presented with upper abdominal complaint may had more than one pathology, and usually one of these pathologies was the main cause of the symptom. Correct preoperative diagnosis is essential to avoid unnecessary operation and to decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with missed diagnosis or over treatment. Recommendations: We recommend a combined OGD &U\S examination in this group of patients especially in those with dyspepsia.