5. Abdominal and Renal Lab Flashcards
Order of abdominal exam
- Observe/inspect
- Auscultate
- Percuss
- Palpate (superficial => deep)
Pathologic causes of striae (Stretch marks)
Cushings disease/syndrome due to high dose steroids
Hernia
- What is it
- Symptoms
- Incarcerated vs strangualted
- Break in muscle wall that allows abdominal contents to go through, appearing as a mass in abdomen
- Local tenderness that worsens when lifting/using muscles
- Incarcerated = cannot reduce without surgery; strangulated = SURIGCAL MRGNC bc vascular supply is compromised.
Stretch marks on armpit vs stomach
armpit = striae alba
stomach = striae rubra
Rectus abdominis muscle seperates, forming a midline ridge by abdominal contents.
- When is it seen?
- MC when?
- Diastasis recti: appears when pt is upine and raises head above shoulder
- BENIGN: Obesity, chronic lung disease, repeated PG
Ascites => accumulation of serous fluid in the peritoneal cavity.
- Causes
- Appears?
- Most sensitive test
- Most specific test
- CHF, liver disease, IVC obstruction, portal HTN
- Stomach unfiformly distended
- Most sensitive => shifting dullness
- Most specific => fluid wave
Ascites causes _______ = distension of flank when pt is laying down
bulging flanks
________ detects large volumes of free intrabdominal fluid.
- (+) finding:
- (-) finding:
Fluid wave
- (+) finding: highly specific for ascites
- (-) finding: only 50% sensitive, so does NOT exclude ascites.
How is a fluid wave conducted?
- Patient places ulnar surface of hand only midline of abdomen
- Doc places one hand on one flank and taps the opposite flank
- (+) sign: doc feels moderate to strong fluid wave on opposite side.
How is a puddle sign, a _______ sign, conducted?
Auscultory percussion sign
- Patient is on all 4s for 5 minutes
- Doc listens with diaphragm of stethoscope while flicking a flinger over flank, starting at lowest point and moving to opposite flank.
- (+) sign: 40-50% sensitive in testing ascites
- sudden increase in intensity and clarity of sound, signaling that the stethoscope and passed the edge of peritoneal fluid
Signs of liver disease
- Icterus
- Portal HTN (=> caput medusa = congestion of superficial veins)
- Asterixis (liver flap)
- Palmar erythema = red and warm palms and feet MC in white ppl (if darker => skin tujrns grey)
What is asterixis (liver flap)?
Course flapping tremor when the arms are outstretched and hands dorsiflexed. Movements are jerky forward movements every 5-10 seconds.
Small Bowel Obstruction
- Diagnose
- Sx
- Dx: 2-view abdominal XR to view air-fluid loops
- Sx
- crampy abdominal pain
- Bilous/fecal odor vomitting
- Distension (tympanic to percussion and hyperresonant)
- High pitched/hyperactive bowel sounds
Treatment of SBO
- Stabilize (fluid and pain)
- NG tube to decrompress cut and stop throwing up
- Surgery
Sympathetics for:
- Upper GI (+ lower esophagus
- Small intestine/Ascending colon
- Ascending and Transverse colon
- Descending and Sigmoid colon/Rectum
- Upper GI (includes lower esophagus)- T5-T10
- Small intestine/Ascending colon- T9-T11
- Ascending and Transverse colon- T10-L2
- Descending and Sigmoid colon/Rectum- T12-L2