Health Assessment Test 3 Flashcards
What are some common CC
- Appetite
- Food intolerance
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea/Vomiting
- Bowel habits/constipations/diarrhea
- Past abdominal history
- S/E of medications
When assessing a pt with abd pain remember….
- History is the most important element in developing and refining your list of diagnostic possibilities
- Localizing the pain to a quadrant helps to refine and narrow your DDX.
- Workup should be targeted based on the history and physical examination.
- Review the list of medicines the patient is taking prior to seeing the patient and validate during the interview. Remember to ask about over-the-counter and herbal medicines.
Abdominal Pain
Diagnostic Approach
DDX abdmoninal pain
- 24-year-old African American male with no significant past medical history presents with abdominal pain 4 days in duration. Pain started as diffused and pressure sensation, most intensely in the mid abdomen
- Vital signs: 120/70, HR:98 RR: 16 T: 99.2 BMI 23.5
- What are your Differential diagnoses with the available data?
he presents today with worsening of symptoms. Pain is more localized to the Right lower quadrant and increased in intensity, he admits mild chills, nausea, vomiting and anorexia and constipation. Denies any other symptoms.
1.Refine your working diagnosis. Give me your top two?
●
2.What is your leading hypothesis at this point?
DD: Appendicitis
Sickle Cell
Gastroenteritis
Gas
Top Two: Gas, Appendicitis
Leading Hypothesis: Appendicitis
Evaluation of Abdominal Pain in Special Populations
Inspection of the abdomen different shapes
Flat, Rounded, Scaphoid, Protuberant
Two ulcers associated with Peptic Ulcer disease
Duodenal Ulcer
Gastric Ulcer
•Nonspecific dyspeptic symptoms: indigestion, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, heartburn, and epigastric fullness
Duodenal Ulcer
Midepigastric pain
Gnawing or burning, non-radiating, recurring pain that is often is episodic and relieved by food or antacids because the sphincter closes when food is in stomach stopping the acid from regurgitating
Gastric Ulcer
- Midepigastric pain
- Aggravated by food, relieved by antacids
The pancreas does what and why does pancreatitis happen
The pancreas secretes enzymes to break down protein. This enzyme is not activated until the small bowel. Pancreatitis happens when the enzyme activates prematurely inside the pancreas and it begins to brealk down.
Family history associated with Abdominal Pain
- Colorectal cancer and familial colorectal cancer syndromes
- Gallbladder disease
- Kidney disease
- Malabsorption syndrome
- Hirschsprung disease, aganglionic megacolon
- Familial Mediterranean fever (periodic peritonitis)
Infants at risk for abd pain
- Gestational age and birth weight
- Passage of first meconium stool within 24 hours
- Jaundice
- Vomiting, frequency, projectile
- Diarrhea, colic, failure to gain weight, weight loss, or steatorrhea (malabsorption syndrome)
- Apparent enlargement of abdomen (with or without pain), constipation, or diarrhea
Abdominal disorder causes associated with pregnancy
- Abdominal wall muscles stretch and lose tone
- Organs are displaced and affect functions:
- Heartburn results from alkaline reflux from duodenal contents into stomach
- Gallstones may result from gallbladder changes that produce cholesterol crystals
- Urinary stasis and urgency may occur
- Constipation or flatus is more common
- Hemorrhoids may develop later in pregnancy
- Gastrointestinal concerns common
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Constipation
- Hemorrhoids
Landmarks of the abdomen
•Nine regions
- Two horizontal lines
- Across the lowest edge of the costal margin
- Across the edge of the iliac crest
Two vertical lines
- Running bilaterally from the midclavicular line to the middle of the Poupart ligament, approximating the lateral borders of the rectus abdominis muscles
Figure. Nine regions of the abdomen. 1, epigastric; 2, umbilical; 3, hypogastric; 4 and 5, right and left hypochondriac; 6 and 7, right and left lumbar; 8 and 9, right and left inguinal.
Order of exam of the abdomen
- Inspection
- Auscultation
- Percussion
- Palpation (light and deep)
Inspection of the Abdomen
•Surface characteristics
- •Skin
- •Venous return
- •Lesions and scars
- •Tautness and striae
Contour
- •Contour (abdominal profile from the rib margin to the pubis, viewed on the horizontal plane)
- •Symmetry
- Surface motion
- Inspect abdominal muscles as patient raises head to detect presence of the following:
- •Masses
- •Hernia
- •Separation of muscles
Cullen’s Sign
Ecchymosis around the umbilicus from:
Retroperitoneal hemorrhage
Acute pancreatitis
Pancreatic hemorrhage
Intraperitoneal hemorrhage
Blunt abdominal trauma
Ruptured spleen
Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm
Ruptured / hemorrhagic ectopic pregnancy.
Spontaneous bleeding secondary to coagulopathy
Grey Turner Sign
Ecchymosis at the flanks
Retroperitoneal hemorrhage
Acute pancreatitis
Pancreatic hemorrhage
Intraperitoneal hemorrhage
Blunt abdominal trauma
Ruptured spleen
Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm
Ruptured / hemorrhagic ectopic pregnancy.
Spontaneous bleeding secondary to coagulopathy
Diastasis recti (abdominal separation)
Defined as a separation of the rectus abdominis muscle into right and left halves
Newborns
- increased risk if premature
Postpartum
increased risk if women over 35
after multiple pregnancies
Auscultation of Abdomen
•Auscultate with stethoscope diaphragm for the following:
- Bowel sounds
•Auscultate with bell of stethoscope for the following:
- Bruits over aorta and renal and femoral arteries
Cannot say bowel sounds are absent unless you listen for minutes
Bowel Sounds
- Frequency
- Character
- Usually heard as clicks and gurgles that occur irregularly and range from 5 to 15 per minute
- Generalized so most often they can be assessed adequately by listening in one place
- Loud prolonged gurgles are called borborygmi (stomach growling)
When would you hear increased bowel sounds?
Increased bowel sounds may occur with gastroenteritis, early intestinal obstruction, or hunger
High pitched tinkling sounds suggest:
Intestinal fluid and air under pressure, as in early obstruction
Decreased bowel sounds occur with:
Peritonitis and paralytic ileus
Friction rubs:
- High-pitched sounds that are heard in association with respiration
- Use the diaphragm of the stethoscope
- Rare in the abdomen
- Indicate inflammation of the peritoneal surface of the organ from tumor, infection, or infarct
- Liver and spleen
Bruits:
- Harsh or musical intermittent auscultatory sounds that may reflect blood flow turbulence and indicate vascular disease
- Heard best with the bell of the stethoscope
- Well localized
- Epigastric region and over the aortic, renal, iliac, and femoral arteries
Sites to auscultate for bruits, renal arteries, aorta, and femoral arteries
Venous hum
- Soft, low-pitched, and continuous sound heard best with the bell of the stethoscope
- Occurs with increased collateral circulation between portal and systemic venous systems
- Epigastric region and around the umbilicus
Percuss the abdomen for the following:
- Tone in all four quadrants (or nine regions)
- Liver borders to estimate span
- Splenic dullness in left midaxillary line
- Gastric air bubble
Palpation of the Abdomen
- Keep your palpating hand low and parallel to the abdomen
- For ticklish person: Keep the patient’s fingers under your own with your fingers curled over your patients
Light Palpation: 1 cm
- Start palpating the abdomen using gentle probing with the hands; this reassures and relaxes the patient
- Identify any superficial organs or masses
- Use relaxation techniques to assess voluntary guarding
Deep Palpation: 5 to 8 cm
- Palpate deeply in the periumbilical area and both lower quadrants.
- Observe for Rebound tenderness
- Assess organs
Masses: Identify and note
- Location
- Size
- Shape
- Consistency
- Tenderness
- Pulsation
- Mobility
Movement with respiration
Umbilical ring
- Palpate the umbilical ring and around the umbilicus
- Area should be free of bulges, nodules, and granulation
- Umbilical ring should be round and free of irregularities
- Potential for herniation
•Umbilicus may be either slightly inverted or everted, but it should not protrude
How do you palpate the liver
Palpating the liver.
A, Fingers are extended, with tips on right midclavicular line below the level of liver dullness and pointing toward the head.
Palpating the Spleen
Palpating the spleen.
A, Press upward with the left hand at the patient’s left costovertebral angle. Feel for the spleen with the right hand below the left costal margin
Palpation of the Aorta
Press firmly deep in the upper abdomen
Identify the aortic pulsations.
Assess the width of the aorta > age 50
Press deeply in the upper abdomen with one hand on each side of the aorta gauge width
Not more than 4 cm wide (average, 2.5 cm
Murphy’s Sign
This is the standard sign of cholecystitis or inflammation of the liver
Pain is felt during inhalation or coughing when the during palpation of the RUQ due to the inflammation of the gallbladder.
Rebound tenderness should be performed….
At the end of the examination
Iliopsoas muscle test
Performed when you suspect appendicitis
Iliopsoas muscle test. A, The patient raises the leg from the hip while the examiner pushes downward against it.
Obturator muscle test
Performed when you suspect an appendicitis, ruptured appendix or a pelvic abscess
Obturator muscle test. With the right leg flexed at the hip and knee, rotate the leg laterally and medially.
McBurney’s sign
Tests for acute appendicitis
To elicit Mcburney’s sign patient should be in supine position with his knees slightly flexed and his abdominal muscles relaxed. Palpate deeply and slowly in the right lower quadrant over McBurney’s point located about 2” from the right anterior superior lliac spine. On a line between the spine and umbilicus. Point pain and tenderness is a positive sign for appendicitis.
In what age group is it more likely to detect the edge of the spleen
Children and Infants
•Assessment of the abdomen of pregnant women includes:
- Uterine size estimation for gestational age
- Fetal growth
- Position of the fetus
- Monitoring of fetal well-being
- Presence of uterine contractions
Abdominal contour is often ________ as a result of loss of muscle tone.
Rounded
Aaron Sign
Appendicitis
Pain or distress occurs in the area of the patient’s heart or stomach on palpation of McBurney’s point
Rovsing’s Sign
Appendicitis
Elicited by palpating the left lower quadrant; this paradoxically causes pain to be felt at the right lower quadrant
Ballance
Peritoneal irritation
fixed dullness to percussion in left flank, and dullness in right flank that disappears on change of position
Blumberg
Peritoneal irritation; appendicitis
Rebound tenderness
Cullen
Hemoperitoneum; pancreatitis; ectopic pregnancy
Ecchymosis around umbilicus
Dance’s Sign
Intussusception (where part of the intestine telescopes into itself)
Absence of bowel sounds in right lower quadrant
Grey Turner
Hemoperitoneum; pancreatitis
Ecchymosis of flanks
Markle
(heel jar)
Peritoneal irritation; appendicitis
Patient stands with straightened knees, then raises up on toes, relaxes, and allows heals to hit floor, thus jarring body. Action will cause abdominal pain if positive
McBurney
Appendicitis
Rebound tenderness and sharp pain when McBurney’s point is palpated
Murphy
Cholecystitis
Abrupt cessation of inspiration on palpation of gallbladder
Murphy
Cholecystitis
Abrupt cessation of inspiration on palpation of gallbladder
Romberg-Howship
Strangulated obturator hernia
Pain down the medial aspect of the hip to the knees
Rovsing Sign
Peritoneal irritation; appendicitis
Right lower quadrant pain intensified by left lower quadrant abdominal palpation
Duodenal ulcer
Peptic ulcer disease
- Midepigastric pain
- Gnawing or burning, nonradiating, recurring pain that is often is episodic and relieved by food or antacids.
- guaiac-positive stool from occult blood loss
Gastric ulcer
Peptic Ulcer Disease
- Midepigastric pain
- Aggravated by food, relieved by antacids
- guaiac-positive stool from occult blood loss
Typical Sx of GERD
•Typical symptoms: acid regurgitation, heartburn, dysphagia (mostly postprandial)
Atypical sx of GERD
•Atypical symptoms: epigastric fullness/pressure/pain, dyspepsia, nausea, bloating, belching, chest pain, lump in throat
Extraesophageal sx of GERD
- Extraesophageal signs and symptoms: chronic cough, bronchospasm, wheezing, hoarseness, sore throat
- Heartburn: retrosternal burning sensation
- Regurgitation; sour or acid taste in mouth (“water brash”)
Gallstones/Choleliathiasis/
Cholecystitis
s/s
- Episodic right upper quadrant or epigastric pain lasting >15 minutes and sometimes radiating to the back (biliary colic—due to transient cystic duct obstruction)
- Pain is usually postprandial.
- Pain sometimes awakens patients from sleep.
- Most patients develop recurrent symptoms after a first episode of biliary colic.
Other symptoms include nausea, vomiting, indigestion or bloating sensation, and fatty food intolerance
Physical exam of patient with Gallstones/Choleliathiasis/Cholecystitis
- Physical exam is usually normal in patients with cholelithiasis in the absence of an acute attack.
- Epigastric and/or right upper quadrant tenderness (Murphy sign)
- Charcot triad: fever, jaundice, right upper quadrant pain
- Reynolds pentad: fever, jaundice, right upper quadrant pain, hemodynamic instability, mental status changes; classically associated with ascending cholangitis
- Flank and periumbilical ecchymoses (Cullen sign and Grey Turner sign) in patients with acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis
- Courvoisier sign: palpable mass in the right upper quadrant in patient with obstructive jaundice most commonly due to malignant tumors within the biliary tree or pancreas
Acute pancreatitis
s/s
- Acute onset of mild to severe constant epigastric pain, which may radiate toward the back
- Chills/Nausea/vomiting
- Alcohol use
- Personal or family history of gallstones
- Medication use (Thiazide, valproic acid)
- Abdominal trauma
- Recent significant rapid weight loss
Acute pancreatitis
Physical Exam
- Abdominal findings: epigastric tenderness, loss of bowel sounds, peritoneal signs
- Other findings, jaundice, rales/percussive dullness
- Rare (with hemorrhagic pancreatitis)
- Flank discoloration (Grey Turner sign) or umbilical discoloration (Cullen sign)
Appendicitis
S/S
- Classic history is vague periumbilical pain with anorexia followed by fever, nausea, and vomiting. Over the next 4 to 48 hours, pain migrates to the RLQ.
- Pain before vomiting, abdominal pain, pain migration
- Anorexia, nausea, vomiting, obstipation (complete constipation)
Appendicitis
Signs
- Fever; temperature >100.4°F (may be absent); tachycardia
- Occasionally hypoactive BS.
- RLQ tenderness; maximal tenderness at McBurney point (1/3 the distance from the anterior superior iliac spine to the umbilicus)
- Voluntary and involuntary guarding
- Rovsing sign: RLQ pain with palpation of left lower quadrant
- Psoas sign: pain with right thigh extension (retrocecal appendix)
- Obturator sign: pain with internal rotation of flexed right thigh (pelvic appendix);
- local and suprapubic pain on rectal exam (pelvic appendix)
MASS
Appendicitis Scoring System
Modified Alvarado Scoring System
- A MASS score >7 suggests appendicitis without the need for further imaging.
- The use of MASS in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis improves diagnostic accuracy and reduces negative appendectomy and complication rates.
- Supplement MASS in female patients with additional investigations (e.g., abdominal ultrasound or laparoscopy).
- Migratory right iliac fossa pain (1 point)
- Nausea/vomiting (1 point)
- Anorexia (1 point)
- Tenderness in right iliac fossa (2 points)
- Rebound tenderness in right iliac fossa (1 point)
- Elevated temperature (1 point)
- Leukocytosis (2 points)
- A MASS score >7 suggests appendicitis without the need for further imaging.
Gastroenteritis
- Sudden onset of diarrhea and/or vomiting
- Symptoms may include:
- •Crampy abdominal pain
- •Fevers
- •Nausea or anorexia
- •Weakness or fatigue
- Abdominal exam; hyperactive BS, mild diffused tenderness, hypertympany, evaluate for peritoneal signs.
- Look for signs of dehydration (minimal, moderate, or severe) which may include:
- Tachycardia, tachypnea, lethargy, mental status changes, dry mucous membranes, mottled or pale skin color and decreased skin turgor, or increased capillary refill time
Colorectal Cancer
Symptoms
- Mostly are asymptomatic
- Symptoms may indicate advanced disease. Common presenting symptoms include:
- •Abdominal pain or cramping
- •Change in bowel habits (constipation, diarrhea, narrowing of stool)
- •Rectal bleeding, dark stools, or blood in stool
- •Weakness or fatigue
- •Unintentional weight loss
- •Other presentations may include symptoms due to the presence of metastatic lesions (lymph nodes, liver, lung, peritoneum), fever of unknown origin.
Colorectal Cancer
Signs
- Signs of anemia
- Weight loss
- Palpable abdominal mass (late presentation)
- Must include digital rectal exam
Diverticulosis/diverticulitis
Symptoms
•Diverticulosis
- •80–85% of patients are asymptomatic. Of the 15–20% with symptoms, 1–2% will require hospitalization, and 0.5% will undergo surgery.
- •The most common symptom is dull, colicky abdominal pain, typically in the LLQ. Pain can be exacerbated by eating and by passing bowel movement or flatus.
- •Diarrhea or constipation is common.
Acute Diverticulitis
Symptoms
- Abdominal pain: acute onset, typically in LLQ
- Fever and/or chills
- Anorexia, nausea (20–62%), or vomiting
- Constipation (50%) or diarrhea (25–35%)
Diverticulosis/diverticulitis
Signs
•Diverticulosis
- •Exam is usually normal.
- •May have intermittent distension or tympany
- •May have heme + stools
Acute Diverticulosis/diverticulitis
Signs
•Acute diverticulitis
- •Abdominal tenderness (usually LLQ) (+ Rovsing signs)
- •Abdominal distension and tympany
- •Rebound tenderness, involuntary guarding, or rigidity suggests perforation and/or peritonitis.
- •Palpable mass in LLQ (20%)
- •Bowel sounds hypoactive (could be high-pitched and intermittent if obstruction is present)
- •Rectal exam may reveal tenderness or a mass.
The Menstrual Cycle
- Estrogen is lowest at the end of the cycle during the start of the follicular phase
- Proliferative phase is influenced by estrogen causing the endometrium to rapidly thicken
- Ovulation happens mid-cycle
- Progesterone is highest right after ovulation during the start of the luteal phase
- Secretory phase is influenced by progesterone. The lining becomes highly vascular and edematous
Cervical eversion is where the endocervical canal extends into the surface of the cervix creates a circular raised erythematous appearance. It is normal nonprurlient cervical mucous
Features of the Vagina of the Infant and Child
- Cervix is 2/3 of the entire length of the organ
- Hymen is a thin diaphragm inside the introitus and has crescent-shaped opening
- Labia major are hairless and nonprominent
- Labia minora are avascular, thin, and pale
Explain the Tanner Stage
Tanner Stage 1: No pubic hair/Infantile
Tanner Stage 2: Initial hair is straight and fine/ 8-11 yo
Tanner Stage 3: Pubic hair coarsens, darkens and spreads/12yo
Tanner Stage 4: Hair looks like adults but limited in area/ 13yo
Tanner Stage 5: Inverted triangular pattern is est./ Age range 12.5-16.5 yo
Vaginal features of Adolescents
- Puberty: functional maturation of reproductive organs
- External genitalia increase in size
- Clitoris becomes erectile
- Pubic hair develops
- Vagina lengthens and secretions become acidic
- Uterus, ovaries, and tubes increase in size
- Uterine musculature and vascular supply increase
- Endometrial lining thickens in preparation for the onset of menstruation
- The average age at menarche in the United States is between 12 and 13 years
- Irregular menstrual cycles are not unusual during adolescence as a result of anovulatory cycles
Female Reproductive Life Span
Any woman that goes into menopause under 40 is premature
Any woman that goes into menopause under 45 is early
Vaginal changes in the Pregnant Woman
Increased estrogen and progesterone cause the enlargement of the uterus to support the growing fetus. After the first trimester, it is the mechanical enlargement due to fetal growth
By 12 week of pregnancy the uterus rises out of the pelvis
- Increased estrogen and progesterone
- Enlarged elastic uterus
- Softened pelvic cartilage
- Strengthened pelvic ligaments
- Pelvic congestion and edema
- Thickened vaginal walls
Increased vaginal secretions
Vaginal changes in the Older Adult
- Ovarian fx begins to diminish in 40’s.
- Median age is 51
- Menopause is defined as 1 year with no menses - amenorrhea
- Menopause
- External and internal genitalia decrease in size
- Tissue loses elasticity and tone
- Pubic hair turns gray
- Libido decreases
- Vagina narrows and loses lubrication
What must be address with the older adult female?
Urinary incontinence and libido
Questions during history in a GYN exam regarding contraceptive history?
Are they happy with current method of BC did they use one previously they liked
What does GTPAL stand for ?
What are the five P’s
Partners
Practices
Protection from STIs
Past history of STIs
Pregnancy prevention
What are Preventative Care Considerations during a GYN exam?
Preventive care considerations
- Imperative to have assessment and discussion of health, wellness, and lifestyle behaviors
- Two specific areas: Personal habits and safety
How to prepare for a GYN exam?
Minimize patient apprehension
Empty bladder
Privacy
Warm room temperature
Warm speculum
What to inspect the Labia Majoria for during an exam
Symmetry
Redness, swelling, or tenderness
Excoriation, rashes, or lesions
Discoloration
Varicosities
Stretching
Trauma or scarring
What to inspect the Labia Minora for during a GYN exam
- Symmetry
- Moisture
- Color
- Soft, homogeneous, and without tenderness
- Inflammation
- Excoriation
- Discharge
- Ulcers
Examination findings of the Vaginal Introitus
- Moisture
- Swelling
- Discoloration
- Discharge
- Lesions, fistulae, or fissures
How to examine the Skene gland
Periurethral location looking for discharge
Insert one finger to the 2nd joint upward pressure. Move finger to both sides of the urethra and directly on the urethra.
Discharge indicates infection, usually gonococcal infection
Bartholin gland
Posterolateral portion of the labia majora
Discharge
Masses
Tenderness or swelling
Can become very swollen in gonorrheaa infection