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How to Diagnose and Manage Acute Abdomen and Intra-Abdominal Infections in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

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Global Surgery

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Abstract

This chapter will focus on management of acute abdomen and intra-abdominal infections. This topic is very broad and well-described regarding common conditions in high-income countries (HICs). Therefore, this chapter will primarily highlight conditions that are more commonly encountered in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and it will emphasize general principles of diagnosis and management in environments with limited resources. In particular, parasitic and fungal intra-abdominal infections are presented in greater detail than the more common intra-abdominal infections such as appendicitis, diverticulitis, and cholecystitis.

The man who asks a question is a fool for a minute, the man who does not ask is a fool for life.

– Confucius

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Abbreviations

AA:

Acute appendicitis

ADA:

Adenosine deaminase

ATT:

Anti-tuberculosis therapy

CT:

Computerized tomography

DEC:

Diethylcarbamazine

GITB:

Gastrointestinal tuberculosis

HICs:

High-income countries

IAI:

Intra-abdominal infection

ICU:

Intensive care unit

ID:

Infectious disease

LMICs:

Low- and middle-income countries

MDA:

Mass drug administration

MDR:

Multidrug resistant

PPD:

Purified protein derivative skin test

SES:

Socio-economic status

SOFA:

Sequential (sepsis-related) Organ Failure Assessment

USG:

Ultrasonography

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA

    Mark A. Hardy & Christine Yang

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  1. Mark A. Hardy
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  2. Christine Yang
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Correspondence to Mark A. Hardy .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. General, Vascular & Abdominal Transplant Surgery, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    Mark A. Hardy

  2. General Surgery & Critical Care Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA

    Beth R. Hochman

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Hardy, M.A., Yang, C. (2023). How to Diagnose and Manage Acute Abdomen and Intra-Abdominal Infections in Low- and Middle-Income Countries. In: Hardy, M.A., Hochman, B.R. (eds) Global Surgery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-28127-3_27

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-28127-3_27

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-28127-3

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