Abdominal Flashcards
What are the functions of the digestive system?
Elimination of Waste
Absorption of Nutrients and Fluid
What is peristalsis?
Contractional movement of intestines to propel food through GI tract.
What major subjective data should you collect during health history of abdomen?
- Food intolerance
- GI history
- Nutritional assessment
- Nausea/vomiting/diarrhea
- Medications
What types of diseases should be reported during GI history (health history)?
ulcers
gallbladder disease
hepatitis/jaundice
(just be able to recognize)
When collecting data on nausea/vomiting/diarrhea (health history), what follow up questions should you ask?
- Foods ate in last 24 hours?
- Home, school, restaurant?
- Family members experiencing same problems?
When collecting subjective data, what do you find out about stool?
- Bowel elimination (routine and changes)
- Use of laxitives
- Stool color/consistency
- Abdominal pain
What important data would indicate a problem for stool consistency and color?
Black/tarry
or
Red Bloody
What are the steps for a physical examination for abdominal assessment?
- Inspection
- Auscultation
- Percussion
- Palpation
(palpation/percussion increase peristalsis: false data)
If a patient identifies a painful area, what should be done during the physical exam?
Save the painful area for last
(auscultation/palpation)
What objective data should be collected during the inspection of the abdomen?
- Contour (flat-rounded)
- Symmetry (symmetric bilaterally)
What are these normal contour findings?
- Flat
- Rounded
What are these abnormal contour findings?
- Scaphoid
- Protuberant
What are expected findings of the umbilicus?
Midline and inverted
No discoloration (even with piercing)
No hernia
What are expected findings of umbilicus when pregnant?
Pushed upward and everted
What are expected findings of the stomach?
For a skinny person?
Homogenous color, smooth
Skinny= Veins may be visible
What are common (normal) lesions that can occur on the stomach?
- Striae (silvery white)
- Pigmented nevi
If an abdominal scar is present when inspecting, what should you do?
- Ask about it
- Draw its location on person’s records
What is the normal pubic hair distribution for men and women?
Men= diamond shape
Women= inverted triangle shape
If you inspect pulsations of the abdomen,
what do you do?
What could it indicate?
- Report these
- Could be aorta
When auscultating, what are these bowel sounds:
- Hypoactive
- Normoactive
- Hyperactive
- Hypoactive= Takes minute to hear
- Normoactive= Sounds every 5-30 seconds
- Hyperactive= sounds every second
If there are no bowel sounds when auscultating, what do you do?
Listen to quadrant for up to 5 minutes.
Are vascular sounds of the abdomen normal?
Usually no
up to 20% of healthy adults have an abdominal bruit
When percussing, what are normal sounds of the abdomin
What are abnormal sounds/when do they occur?
Normal= Resonant
abnormal
- Dullness= Fat/masses
- Hyperresonance= Gas distension
- Ascite= Free fluid in abdomen
What are the signs of ascite in the abdomen?
- Fluid wave
- Shifting dullness as person moves
