Metabolic acidosis in the acute abdomen.

Acid-base balance in 13 patients with acute abdominal conditions has been studied. Superior mesenteric arterial occlusion in 3 patients produced a base excess of less then-12. Other acute abdominal emergencies did not produce as profound a metabolic acidosis. The limitations of using severe metabolic acidosis as a diagnostic criterion in superior mesentric arterial occlusion are discussed.