Name two abdominal/pelvic red flags that would prompt urgent referral in a patient with MSK symptoms.

Name two abdominal/pelvic red flags that would prompt urgent referral in a patient with MSK symptoms.

• A. Chronic mild abdominal discomfort with no fever.
• B. Pulsatile abdominal mass alone without fever.
• C. New-onset severe abdominal or flank pain with fever, or a pulsatile abdominal mass.
• D. Intermittent mild abdominal pain with no fever.

Answer: (C)

Recognizing urgent red flags in abdominal/pelvic symptoms is crucial because certain signs point to potentially life‑threatening conditions that need prompt referral.

Two red flags that would prompt urgent referral are: a new‑onset severe abdominal or flank pain with fever, which raises concern for acute surgical or infectious processes such as appendicitis, perforation, pancreatitis, or pyelonephritis with systemic illness; and a pulsatile abdominal mass, which strongly suggests an abdominal aortic aneurysm with a risk of rupture.

Other options describe mild or non‑urgent symptoms, or only a single red flag, which doesn’t convey the combination that signals urgent action.