What diseases should be considered for abdominal masses

Abdominal mass is a common symptom in medicine. Abdominal mass refers to various abnormal masses that can be felt in the abdomen. There are many common reasons for the appearance of abdominal lumps, which can be caused by a variety of diseases, such as inflammatory adhesions, organ enlargement, tissue hyperplasia, or benign and malignant tumors. If you find yourself with an abdominal mass, don't panic too much. Actively look for the cause of the mass and receive targeted treatment as soon as possible.

1. Causes

Common causes include organomegaly, expansion of hollow organs, tissue hyperplasia, inflammatory adhesions, and benign and malignant tumors.

2. Classification

1. Physiological "mass"

It is not a true disease but is sometimes mistaken for a pathological mass. In addition to the uterus, bladder, and fecal masses, the muscles between the well-developed rectus abdominis tendons may be misdiagnosed as pathological. Even the abdominal aorta of people with soft or weak abdominal walls may be mistaken for a "pulsating mass."

2. Inflammatory mass

It is often accompanied by signs of inflammation such as fever, local pain, and increased white blood cell count. Such as periappendicitis mass, mesenteric lymph node tuberculosis, perirenal abscess, etc.

3. Tumorous mass

Most of them are substantial masses. Malignant tumors are the majority and are characterized by rapid development, with anemia, weight loss and cachexia in the late stages; benign tumors have a long history and are larger, smoother and have a certain degree of mobility.

4. Cystic mass

Most of them are round or oval, with a smooth surface and a sense of undulation. Common ones include congenital polycystic liver and polycystic kidney; retention pancreatic cysts and hydronephrosis; tumorous ovarian cysts; inflammatory gallbladder effusion and hydrosalpinx; parasitic hydatid cysts, etc.

5. Obstructive mass

Obstructive masses in the gastrointestinal tract can cause abdominal pain, bloating, vomiting, or constipation without flatus; masses obstructing the bile duct cause painless jaundice, usually without fever; masses obstructing the urinary tract often cause swelling and pain in the lower back.

6. Traumatic mass

Such as spleen rupture hematoma in the left upper abdomen, pseudopancreatic cyst in the upper abdomen, retroperitoneal hematoma in the lower abdomen or pelvis, etc. See Abdominal Trauma.

3. Inspection

Commonly used examination methods include X-ray angiography, B-ultrasound, CT, magnetic resonance imaging, endoscopy, etc. Tumors in the digestive tract can be examined by barium meal angiography.

IV. Treatment

If it is determined that the mass is an inflammatory mass, such as appendiceal abscess, intra-abdominal tuberculous mass, etc., active anti-infection treatment should be given. After anti-infection treatment, the patient's pain or tenderness is reduced or disappears, and the mass shrinks or disappears, then the diagnosis of inflammatory mass can generally be established. Except for inflammatory masses, generally speaking, any suspected tumor mass should undergo fine needle aspiration and cytological examination if possible. Once a tumor is confirmed, surgical treatment should be performed promptly as long as there are indications for surgical treatment. For solid intra-abdominal masses caused by various diseases, surgical treatment or surgical exploration should be performed as long as the diagnosis is basically clear, there are surgical indications or the mass has caused intestinal obstruction.