Estudio de una masa abdominal en pediatría: Revisión de la literatura
Matías Echeverría C.(1), Andrés Fuentealba P.(1), Carmen Gloria Rostion.(2)
1: Interno Medicina Universidad de Chile.
2: Cirujano Infantil Hospital Roberto del Río. Profesor Asociado. Universidad de Chile

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Abstract

About 20% of the tumors diagnosed in pediatric patients correspond to intra-abdominal masses. These can correspond to both benign and malignant pathology. Moreover, 20% of solid malignant tumors are located in the abdomen, so a high index of suspicion associated with an early diagnosis can positively affect the prognosis of these patients.
The clinical presentation of an abdominal mass is variable. A significant number of patients will be asymptomatic, which makes early diagnosis difficult. This is why it is necessary to maintain a high index of suspicion in this pathology. As tools for the evaluation of an abdominal mass, we are increasingly counting on radiological examinations, tumor markers and histology. However, the examinations must be carried out in order to verify the diagnostic suspicion that we obtain from a complete anamnesis and physical examination.

The objective of this work was to perform an updated review of the available literature on the study of abdominal mass in pediatrics, focused mainly on the epidemiology and diagnostic orientation that should be followed by the physician when confronting a patient with this finding.

Key words: Abdominal mass, solid tumors, pediatrics, diagnosis.