A patient was admitted with severe abdominal pain, elevated temperature, and nausea. The physical examination indicated possible cholecystitis. Acute and chronic pancreatitis secondary to alcoholism was recorded on the face sheet as the final diagnosis. The principal diagnosis is

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The principal diagnosis should reflect the condition that required the most resources and led to the admission. In this case, both cholecystitis and acute pancreatitis were possible diagnoses, but acute pancreatitis is more severe and requires more resources to treat. The chronic pancreatitis secondary to alcoholism may also have played a role in the patient's presentation, but it is not the principal diagnosis as it is a chronic condition and not the reason for admission. Therefore, the correct principal diagnosis is acute pancreatitis.

A Patient Was Admitted with Severe Abdominal Pain, Elevated Temperature