Abdominal signs Flashcards
Koilonychia
Spoon shaped nails
- Iron deficiency
- B12 deficiency
- Folate deficiency
- Raynaud’s disease
- Fungal nail infection
Leukonychia
Whitening of the nails
- Hypoalbuminaemia
Muehrcke’s lines
Transverse white lines
- Hypoalbuminaemia
Splinter haemorrhages
Fine, longitudinal haemorrhagic streaks (under nails)
- Suggests infective endocarditis in a febrile patient
Terry’s nails
Proximal portion of nail is white/pink, nail tip is red/brown
- Cirrhosis
- Chronic renal failure
Dilated capillaries
Dilated capillaries at nail fold
- Pulmonary hypertension
Clubbing
Greater curvature of the nails in all directions and loss of the angle between the nail and nail fold
- Inflammatory bowel disease (e.g. Crohn’s)
- Cirrhosis
- Gastrointestinal lymphoma
- Malabsorption (e.g. Coeliac disease)
Beau’s lines
Transverse furrows from temporary arrest of nail growth at times of increased biological stress
- Malaria
- Typhus
- Rheumatic fever
- Kawasaki disease
- Myocardial infarct
- Chemotherapy
- Guillain-Barré
- Raynaud’s syndrome
- Trauma
- High altitude climbing
- Deep sea diving
Dupuytren’s contracture
Thickening and fibrous contraction of palmar fascia
- Liver disease
Hepatic flap/asterixis
When holding hands up, tremour occurs
- Hepatic encephalopathy
Palmar erythema
Reddening of the skin on the palms of the hands
- Chronic liver disease
Arachnodactyly
Spider fingers
- Marfan syndrome
Anaemia
Pale white’s of eyes
- Anaemia
Jaundice
Yellowing
- Jaundice
Xanthelasma
Deposits of fat round the eyes
- Chronic obstruction
- Primary biliary cirrhosis
Glossitis
Smooth, red, sore tongue
- Folate deficiency
- B12 deficiency
Angular stomatitis
Fissuring of the mouth’s corners
- Dentures
- Candidiasis
- Iron deficiency
- Riboflavin deficiency
Oral cavity hyperpigmentation
Overly red
- Addison’s disease
- Peutz-Jeghers syndrome
Karposi’s sarcoma
Purple papules
- Caused by human herpes virus
Virchow’s node
Can be enlarged
- Gastric carcinoma
Gynaecomastia
Enlarged breasts on a man
- Chronic liver disease
Venous thrombosis
Need to watch for
Spider naevi
Spider-like red marks
- Chronic liver disease
Purpura
Generalised purpling of the skin
- Chronic liver disease
Ecchymoses
Bruising not caused by trauma
- Low platelet count
Ileostomy
A surgical operation where a damaged part of the ileum is removed and an opening is made in the abdominal wall
Colostomy
Surgical operation where the colon is shortened to remove the damaged part and an artificial opening is made in the abdominal wall and a bag attached to collect the waste products
Grey Turner’s sign
Bruising of the flanks, often accompanied by Cullen’s sign
- Acute pancreatitis
Cullen’s sign
Periumbilical bruising
- Acute pancreatitis
Visible peristalsis
Involuntary constriction and relaxation of the muscles of the intestine creating wave-like movements pushing the contents of the canal forward
- Pyloric stenosis
- Bowel obstruction
- Herniation and tumour
- Obstructed gastric outlet
- Stenosing duodenal ulcer
- Umbilical ulcer
Striae
Irregular areas of skin that look like bands, stripes or lines - also known as stretch marks
- Weight gain
- Pregnancy
- Diabetes
- Cushing’s syndrome
- Puberty
Caput medusa/portal systemic systems anastomoses
Connections made between adjacent blood vessels or parts of the intestine
- Portal hypertension
Ascites
Accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity causing abdominal swelling
