[Acute Abdominal Pain: Hospital Admission or Not - And What Happens Then?]

Acute abdominal pain (AAP) is a common symptom and reason for encounter in family practices and emergency rooms. About every tenth hospital emergency room consultation is dealing with AAP, the most important reason is the "suspected acute abdomen". Important diagnostic considerations and clarification steps in family practice and emergency room are presented with the question: in which cases further treatment must be inpatient - or can be done on an outpatient basis. Acute abdominal pain has a complex differential diagnostic spectrum. Early detection of urgent cases is crucial to the outcome. The most important diagnostic means are history ("inductive foraging"), physical examination and sonography. "Yellow flags" provide valuable information for risk groups. Interdisciplinary cooperation is crucial, in doubt: "four eyes principle". If the cause is unclear, follow-up should be planned.