TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - See a doctor, support a lawyer A1 - Murtagh, John Y1 - 2016 N1 - T2 - Cautionary Tales: Authentic Case Histories from Medical Practice, 2e AB - Long ago, during my term as a surgical registrar I was asked to see a rather rugged 65-year-old farmer with chronic intermittent abdominal pain. The problem was puzzling the RMO especially as the patient had ‘the thick file’ syndrome. He was a rather likeable phlegmatic man who seemed to have a genuine problem and was embarrassed by his occasional visits to various doctors and the emergency department. He described the pain which was located centrally as colicky, mild to moderate and dull. It was associated with mild abdominal distension, nausea (no vomiting) and constipation with hard pellet like stools. Diagnoses that had been suggested were irritable bowel syndrome and/or abdominal adhesions. He said that the painful attacks which simply felt like ‘a kick in the guts’ would dissipate as quickly as they came. He had a history of a cholecystectomy 21 years previously. SN - PB - The McGraw-Hill companies CY - Sydney, Australia Y2 - 2024/04/19 UR - murtagh.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1124555339 ER -