Question

You arrive on the scene to find an approximately 60-year-old male patient writhing on the floor. He is complaining of a tearing pain radiating to his lower back. He has absent femoral pulses and has a pulsatile mass just superior to his umbilicus. You suspect which of the following conditions?

A. Abdominal aortic aneurysm
B. Ruptured appendix
C. Acute pancreatitis
D. Myocardial infarction

Answer 1

The most likely diagnosis for a patient with a tearing pain radiating to the lower back, absent femoral pulses, and a pulsatile mass just superior to the umbilicus is an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Step-by-step explanation:

The patient presenting with a tearing pain radiating to his lower back, absent femoral pulses, and a pulsatile mass superior to the umbilicus is suspected of having an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). This condition is characterized by the dilation of the abdominal aorta, which can lead to a life-threatening rupture if not promptly treated. The symptoms described align with common clinical presentations of an AAA, rather than other conditions like a ruptured appendix, acute pancreatitis, or myocardial infarction, thus making choice A the most likely diagnosis.