Abdominal Exam Tutor Questions Flashcards
Name 5 landmarks to help assess the abdomen
Xiphoid process - T7 Costal margins Umbilicus - T10 Pubic symphysis ASIS Midline *again with the counting skills*
What landmarks do you use to divide abdomen into quadrants?
Vertical line between pubic symphisis and xiphoid process
Horizontal line at level of umbilicus
What region of abdomen do you most often find a normal sized spleen?
Appendix?
Spleen - L hypochrondiac region
Appendix - R iliac region
What is the proper order to evaluate the abdomen?
IAAP
What the two signs you might see on inspection of the abdomen when pt has acute pancreatitis?
Cullen’s or Grey Turner’s
What are 2 signs you might see on inspection of abdomen of someone with liver problems?
Liver failure - jaundice or ascites
Portal HTN - caput medusa
What is it called when a person has loud, easily audible sounds that represent normal prolonged gurgles of hyper peristalsis?
Borborygmi
How many clicks/gurgles per minute for normal guts?
5-35/mn
When auscultating bowel sounds, which side of stethoscope do you use?
Vascular sounds?
Bowel - diaphragm
Vascular - bell
Where should you percuss liver and what is normal span?
Spleen?
Liver - R midclavicular line
-6-12 cm
Spleen - L mid axillary line, ribs 6-10
What is the difference between guarding and rigidity?
Guarding - spasm when you push (tenderness, inflammation)
Rigidity - constant spasm all the time (perforation, infarction)
What are the 3 depths of palpation in the abdomen and what should you be feeling for in each?
Light - 1cm - hypersentivities or masses
Moderate - 2-3cm - fascia and organs
Deep - >3cm - muscles, organs, bones
Where in the SOAP note do you put bowel sounds?
Objective
DUH. :P
What type of sound do you hear while percussing over the liver/spleen?
The rest of the abdomen?
Liver/spleen - dullness, flat
Rest - tympany
What does a positive McBurney’s point indicate?
Rebound tenderness
Appendicitis
