What should you hear when Percussing the abdomen?

There are two basic sounds which can be elicited: Tympanitic (drum-like) sounds produced by percussing over air filled structures. Dull sounds that occur when a solid structure (e.g. liver) or fluid (e.g. ascites) lies beneath the region being examined.

What should you feel when palpating the abdomen?

In palpating the abdomen, one should first gently examine the abdominal wall with the fingertips. This will demonstrate the crunching feeling of crepitus of the abdominal wall, a sign of gas or fluid within the subcutaneous tissues.

What organs are normally palpable in the abdomen?

Organs that should be palpated during the deep exam include the liver, gallbladder, and spleen. We will also discuss techniques for palpating the stomach, pancreas, duodenum, and kidneys.

Can stool be palpated in abdomen?

Physical Examination On abdominal exam, the clinician should look for signs of distension. Palpation, especially in thin patients, may reveal hard, palpable stool in the ascending, descending, and sigmoid segments of the colon.

What kind of abnormalities can be found with percussion of the abdomen?

The sounds produced during abdominal percussion can help detect pathologies like organomegaly, intra-abdominal masses, and fluid accumulation.

When assessing abdomen the nurse must divide the abdomen into?

The abdomen can be divided into four quadrants. This will give you the standard right upper quadrant, right lower quadrant, left upper quadrant and left lower quadrant.

Why is abdominal assessment different?

The difference is based on the fact that physical handling of peritoneal contents may alter the frequency of bowel sounds. What do you need to know about inspection, auscultation, percussion, and palpation of the abdomen?

What do bowel sounds sound like when constipated?

Decreased or absent bowel sounds often indicate constipation. Increased (hyperactive) bowel sounds can sometimes be heard even without a stethoscope. Hyperactive bowel sounds mean there is an increase in intestinal activity.

How often should normal bowel sounds be heard in each quadrant of the abdomen?

Bowel sounds are high pitched, gurgling or scratching sounds that occur approximately every 5 to 15 seconds.

What sound is heard over the abdomen?

As the air-filled bowel loops are positioned in the closest proximity to the abdominal wall, the percussion over most parts of the abdominal cavity elicits a predominantly tympanic sound. The presence of large areas of dullness should prompt evaluation for organomegaly, intra-abdominal masses, or fluid.