Journal of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition
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J. Pediatr. Gastroenterol. Nutr. · May 2012
Constipation and nonspecific abdominal pain in teenage girls referred for emergency surgical consultation.
The aim of this study was to describe the discharge diagnoses of children receiving surgical consultation for acute abdominal pain according to age and sex. ⋯ Most children receiving surgical consultation for acute abdominal pain do not have diseases requiring surgery. In teenage girls, especially, the proportion with appendicitis is low. Constipation and nonspecific abdominal pain are the main discharge diagnoses in this group. Physicians should have a high index of suspicion of constipation when examining teenage girls with acute abdominal pain.