Question

A 29 yo woman with UC retruns to the ED with fever of 101, BP is stable and normal and HR is 120. Abdomen is distended and acutely tender

upright CXR shows air in teh wall ofthe colon

managment?

Answer 1

A 29-year-old woman with a history of ulcerative colitis presenting with abdominal pain and signs of a colonic perforation should be managed with broad-spectrum antibiotics, NPO status, IV fluids, and rapid surgical consultation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question concerns a 29-year-old woman with a history of ulcerative colitis who presents to the emergency department with fever, tachycardia, abdominal distension, and severe pain. An upright chest X-ray reveals the presence of air within the wall of the colon, which is indicative of a possible perforation. Immediate management should include the administration of broad-spectrum antibiotics to cover both gram-positive and gram-negative organisms, as well as anaerobes. The patient should be kept nil per os (NPO), provided with intravenous fluids, and a surgical consultation should be promptly obtained, given the severity of the findings and the potential need for surgical intervention to address the perforation.