Question

You will list two conditions that a patient might present that involve upper left quadrant pain. Include patho, diagnostics, and proposed treatment.

Answer 1

Left upper quadrant pain is seen in conditions like -

1. Pancreatitis : pancreatitis is the inflammation of pancreas. It can occur due to trauma to pancrease, heavy alcohol consumption, gall stones. It can be acute or chronic. Pain in pancreas can be radiated to left upper quadrant, shoulder and back.

It can be diagnosed through high level of serum amylase and lipase, CT, MRI, abdominal ultrasound.

Treatment includes treating the underlying cause. Cessation pf alcohol if alcohol consuptiom is the cause. Treatment of gall stones through surgery or medication. Patients are asked not to eat in acute pancreatitis.

2. Spleenomegaly : it is enlargement of the spleen. Causes include infections like mononucleosis, cancer like leukemia , hemolytic anemia, malaria.

splenomegaly causes abdominal pain, referred pain to shoulder and back.

Abdominal ultrasound confirms splenomegaly.

Treatment includes treating the underlying cause such as infections or cancer. Sometimes splenectomy is required.