2. ANATOMY
Abdomen is the part of the trunk b/n the thorax & the
pelvis.
Abdomen is a roughly cylindrical chamber.
For descriptive purposes, the abdomen is often divided by
imaginary lines crossing at the umbilicus, into four
quadrants.
Abdomen is also divided into nine sections
3.
4.
5.
6. CON’T….
Abdominal wall encloses the abdominal cavity.
Abdominal viscera are either suspended in the peritoneal
cavity by mesenteries or are positioned b/n the cavity & th
musculoskeletal wall.
Abdominal visceral organs include:-
• Major elements of GIT
• Spleen
• Components of the urinary system
• Suprarenal glands
• Major neurovascular structures
7.
8. CON’T….
Inspect the abdominal wall & pelvis in supine position.
Abdominal wall is a continuous
Visualize the landmarks of abdomen
Anterolateral abdominal wall is bounded:-
1. Superiorly by the cartilages of the 7th to 10th ribs & the
xiphoid process
2. Inferiorly by the inguinal ligament & pelvic bones.
9. CON’T….
When examining the abdomen, you may be able to feel
several normal structures.
- Lower margin of the liver
- Sigmoid colon
- Pulsations of the abdominal aorta
- Kidney is occasionally palpable
13. TECHNIQUES OF ABDOMINAL EXAMINATION
PRECAUTION
• Approach the patient
• Stand on the right side of the pt
Communicate with the pt
Privacy of the patient
Adequate light exposure
Undress the patient
Patient in supine anatomical position
Make the patient comfortable
14. CON’T…
If possible the patient should have an empty bladder.
• Distract the patient attention
Follow the cardinal step of abdominal examination:-
1. INSPECTION
2. AUSCULTATION
3. PALPATION
4. PERCUSSION
15. INSPECTION
Stand at the foot of the bed
Then come to the right side of the pt & look for
Scars
Striae
Dilated veins
Rashes & lesions
Peristalsis
Pulsation
Contour of the abdomen
16. INSPECTION
Shape ( normal contour , distended , scaphoid)
Generalized distention: 5Fs
Localized distention : Symmetrical - SBO
Asymmetrical – gross enlargt of spleen, liver,
ovary
● Symmetry
● Mass/ Bulge/ Organomegally
● Movement w respiration
Absent or markedly ↓ed in generalized peritonitis
● Visible Peristalysis
① Intestinal obstruction ②In thin indiv’s
17. Visible Pulsation
↑ed pulsation – Aortic aneurysm, liver
● Umblicus
Flat or inverted – Normal
Everted – Ascites, Cyst, mass, hernia
● Flank fullness
● Skin
. Striae/linea nigra – atrophica or gravidarum→ white or Pink
Cushing’s synd & excessive steroid tt→ Purple striae
. Scars
. Distended Veins – dilated vv of hepatic cirrhosis or IVC obstruction
● Hernial Sites
18.
19. AUSCULTATION
Warm the stethoscope before auscultation
Auscultate for
1. Bowel sound
2. Bruit
3. Venus ham
4. Auscultate over enlarged organ &/or mass
20. AUSCULTATION
Bowel sounds : clicks & gurgles, 5-34 per min
Causes of hypoactive bowel sounds
. Thick skin (obesity)
. Fluid accumulation
. Paralytic ileus
. Peritoneal inflammation
Causes of hyperactive bowel sounds
. Obstruction
● Bruits:
If bruit heard – either due to Stenosis or aneurysm.
.Over the aorta,
. each renal aa
. Each iliac aa & . The common femoral aa.
21.
22. PALPATION
Before you start palpation ask the pt whether he feel
abdominal pain or not
If yes, ask the patient to point the site where he felt
maximum pain with a single finger if possible.
Warm your hand before starting palpation.
Hand & forearm on a horizontal plane
Fingers together & flat on the abd surface
Light , gentle, dipping motion
Feel in all quadrants
23. Superficial Palpation : muscular
resistance, abd tenderness & some superf
masses.
→ Involuntary rigidity or Spasm of the abd mm(
guarding) –indicate Peritoneal inflammation
24.
25.
26. 2. DEEP PALPATION
Is usually required to delineate abdominal masses.
Feel for liver lower boarder & spleen.
Bimanual examination for kidney.
Ask the pt to breath in deep
27.
28. The Spleen
- If the spleen of an adult is palpable, it’s probably considerably larger than
normal.
- An enlarged spleen may be missed if the examiner starts too high in the abd
to feel in the lower edge.
◊ Mass in the left flank( attributes that favor an enlarged spleen over an enlarged Lt
kidney are:
A notch on the medial border
Extension beyond the midline
Dullness to percussion
The ability to get ur fingers deep to its medial & lower borders but not b/n the mass &
the costal marigin (i.e one cannot get above it)
29.
30.
31. LIVER
Place both hands side by side flat on the abdomen.
If resistance is encountered.
Exert gentle pressure.
Ask the pt to breathe in deeply
32. The Liver:
- could be palpable in normal pts.
- The edge of an enlarged liver may be missed by starting palpn too high in
the abdomen.
- the edge of normal liver- soft, sharp, regular w smooth surface.
- If soft, smooth , tender- Hepatitis or venous congestion
- Very firm & regular – in obstructive jaundice , cirrhosis
- Hard, Irregular , painless( ss painful & ss nodular –in HCC
- Pulsating- in TR
33.
34.
35.
36. The Kidneys:
- Kidneys are not usu palpable(except in very thin ppl or kidney enlarg’t inc.,
hydronephrosis, Cysts, & tumors)
- Bimanual palpation
- Differentiate from spleen
- CVA tenderness: Pain w Pressure or w fist percussion in CVA suggests kidney
infecn.
37. Abdominal Mass
- When an abd mass is palpable, spend time elliciting its features:
Site
Size & shape
Surface edge & Consistency
Mobility & attachments
Is it bimanually palpable or pulsatile?
38. PERCUSSION
To delineates the boundary of abdominal organs
To assess the amount & distribution of gas in the abdomen
Tympanic notes
Identify possible masses
To measure the TLS along RMCL
For PR evaluation
39. PERCUSSION
The middle finger of the left hand is placed on the abdomen &
pressed firmly against it.
The back of the distal interphalangeal joint is struck with the tip o
the middle finger of the right hand.
The movement should be at the wrist rather than at the elbow.
40. PERCUSSION
Light Percussion over the abd
Liver Span: Normal liver spans 6-12cm in the MCL & 4-8cm in MSL.
-Four condns in w liver span changed falsely ’re: in perforated viscus
in emphysema
in effusion(rt) or consolidation
Gas in the colon.
41.
42. Spleen: dullness extending from Lt lower ribs into
the Lt hypochondrium & Lt lumbar region.
43.
44.
45. Shifting Dullness : Lie the pt supine & percuss
laterally from the midline until dullness is detected.
Then, keeping ur hand on the abd, ask the pt to roll
away from u, on the Lt side. Percuss again in this
new position; if the previously dullnote has now
become resonant then ascitic fluid is probably
present.
46. Fluid Thrill: The pt laid on his back, place one hand flat over the lumbar region of
one side & get an assistant to put the side of his hand firmly in the midline of the abd,
& then flick or tap the opposite lumbar region. A fluid thrill or wave is felt as a definite &
unmistakable impulse by the detecting hand held flat in the lumbar region.
Anorexia, nausea, vomiting in many gastrointestinal disorders; also in pregnancy, diabetic ketoacidosis, adrenal insufficiency, hypercalcemia, uremia, liver disease, emotional states, adverse drug reactions, and other conditions. Induced but without nausea in anorexia/ bulimia.Heartburn suggests gastric acid reflux into the esophagus; often precipitated by a heavy meal, lying down, or bending forward, also by ingested alcohol, citrus juices, or aspirin. If chronic, consider reflux esophagitis. See Table 6-1, Chest Pain, Belching, but not bloating or excess flatus, normally seen in aerophagia,or swallowing air. Also consider legumes and other gas-producing foods, intestinal lactase deficiency, irritable bowel syndrome. Consider diabetic gastroparesis, anticholinergic drugs, gastric outlet obstruction, gastric cancer; early satiety in hepatitis.
Incorrect method of palpation. The hand is held rigid and mostly not in contact with the abdominal wall.
bending down or kneeling by the patient's side.
When palpating, the wrist and forearm should be in the same horizontal plane where possible, even if this means bending down or kneeling by the patient's side (Fig. 8.9). The best palpation technique involves moulding the relaxed right hand to the abdominal wall, not to hold it rigid. The best movement is gentle but with firm pressure, with the fingers held almost straight but with slight flexion at the metacarpophalangeal joints, and certainly avoid sudden poking with the fingertips (Fig. 8.10). Body_ID: P008047 Palpation of intra-abdominal structures is an imperfect process in which the great sensitivity of the sense of touch and pressure is heavily masked by the abdominal wall tissue. It is unusual for structures to be very easily palpable, and so it is necessary to concentrate fully on the task and to try and visualize the normal anatomical structures and what might be palpable beneath the examining hand. It may be necessary to repeat the palpation more slowly and deeply. Putting the left hand on top of the right allows increased pressure to be exerted (Fig. 8.11), such as with an obese or very muscular patient.
Correct method of palpation. The hand is held flat and relaxed, and 'moulded' to the abdominal wall
Palpation of the spleen. Start well out to the left.
Palpation of the liver: preferred method
Rectus abdominis muscles become more prominent when the pt raises the head & shoulders from the supine position.
Try and make out the character of the liver's surface (i.e. whether it is soft, smooth and tender as in heart failure, very firm and regular as in obstructive jaundice and cirrhosis, or hard, irregular, painless and sometimes nodular, as in advanced secondary carcinoma). In tricuspid regurgitation the liver may be felt to pulsate. Occasionally a congenital variant of the right lobe projects down lateral to the gallbladder as a tongue-shaped process, called Riedel's lobe. Though uncommon, it is important to be aware of this because it may be mistaken either for the gallbladder itself or for the right kidney.
Palpation of the abdominal aorta
Palpatation of the right femoral artery
The common femoral vessels are found just below the inguinal ligament at the midpoint between the anterior superior iliac spine and the symphysis pubis.
Place the pulps of the right index, middle and ring fingers over this site in the right groin and palpate the wall of the vessel. Note the strength and character of its pulsation and then compare it with the opposite femoral pulse.
Lymph nodes lying along the aorta (para-aortic nodes) are palpable only when considerably enlarged. They are felt as rounded, firm, often confluent fixed masses in the umbilical region and epigastrium along the left border of the aorta.