# Abdominal Distension or Mass

- Category: chronic
- Review status: reviewed (every claim checked against a document named on this page)
- Sources: Abdominal Examination - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459220/ · ICPC-3 (WONCA International Classification of Primary Care, 3rd edition) class DS51 - condition scope only, no dose · No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care
- Verified date: 2026-08

## Verified against

- No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care

## Treatment metadata

- No drug therapy in primary care (Referral & Advice)

## Complete treatment card

```text
ABDOMINAL DISTENSION OR MASS
Sources: Abdominal Examination - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf -
         https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459220/ · ICPC-3 (WONCA International Classification
         of Primary Care, 3rd edition) class DS51 - condition scope only, no dose · No dose -
         referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care
Review status: REVIEWED against the source listed above  (2026-08)

1. NO DRUG THERAPY IN PRIMARY CARE (REFERRAL & ADVICE)    [1st line]
   Adult    A physical finding rather than a diagnosis, with causes ranging from trapped gas to a
            tumour; a GP orders initial ultrasound and basic labs and refers rather than treating it
            empirically. - Refer, with advice
   Peds     Children follow the same pathway: recognise and refer. No primary-care medicine is
            implied.
   Source   No dose - referral pathway, no medicine given in primary care
   Why      A physical finding rather than a diagnosis, with causes ranging from trapped gas to a
            tumour; a GP orders initial ultrasound and basic labs and refers rather than treating it
            empirically.
   Caution  No medicine is prescribed for this in primary care - this entry is for recognition and
            referral. Anything given is decided by the service it is referred to.
            RED FLAG - A rapid increase in abdominal size, an irregular, hard or fixed mass on
            palpation, or associated weight loss or fluid accumulation: refer urgently to exclude
            malignancy.

Prices are indicative (dataset snapshot 2026-06); verify with the pharmacy.
```

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Dawaa Reference is a reference for prescribers, not a medical device, and does not replace clinical judgement.

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