When a patient is admitted with severe upper abdominal pain, the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis should not be accepted until each of the following conditions has been ruled out except:
Acute pancreatitis is a diagnosis of exclusion. Its symptoms and signs are not readily distinguishable from other severe upper abdominal problems. Adhesive small bowel obstruction does not present marked peritoneal signs unless bowel gangrene is also present.
Acute cholecystitis
Acute renal colic
Adhesive small bowel obstruction
Mesenteric embolization