Abdomen Vocab

Question 1

Aneurysm

Answer 1

balloon-like swelling in artery, vein or heart

due to

   - congenital defect
   - degenerative disease

Question 2

anorexia

Answer 2

loss of appetite

Question 3

ascites

Answer 3

abnormal intraperitoneal fluid accumulation (serous)

Question 4

ballottement

Answer 4

jabbing motion used to locate organs in ascitic abdomen

Question 5

borborygmi

Answer 5

sound heard over large intestine from passage of flatus through

Question 6

cholecystitis

Answer 6

gall bladder inflammation

Question 7

cholelithiasis

Answer 7

gallstones

Question 8

cirrhosis

Answer 8

chronic liver disease characterized by fibrosis and abnormal nodular architecture

Question 9

colic

Answer 9

painful spasm in hollow tubular soft organ

Question 10

constipation

Answer 10

difficult defecation

- infrequent, possibly <3 BM/wk

Question 11

diarrhea

Answer 11

frequent liquid or loose stools (<4 wks)

Question 12

dyschezia

Answer 12

difficult bowel movement, painful

Question 13

dyspepsia

Answer 13

difficult digestion (sxmatic of other pathology)

Question 14

dysphagia

Answer 14

difficulty swallowing

Question 15

fistula

Answer 15

abnormal connecting structure between cavities, either congenital or from injury/abscess/inflammatory processes

Question 16

gastroesophageal reflux

Answer 16

burning mid-epigastric pain, worse when recumbent

Question 17

hematemesis

Answer 17

puke blood

Question 18

hematochezia

Answer 18

poop blood

Question 19

hepatitis

Answer 19

inflammation of liver

Question 20

hernia

Answer 20

organ protrusion

Question 21

hydronephrosis

Answer 21

dilation of renal pelvis due to obstruction

Question 22

icterus

Answer 22

bile pigmentation of tissues, membranes, conjunctival secretions

Question 23

intussusception

Answer 23

prolapse/telescoping of bowel segments into one another

Question 24

irritable bowel syndrome

Answer 24

disorder of intestinal motility

Question 25

jaundice

Answer 25

yellowness of skin, mucous membranes, body fluids due to deposition of excess circulating bilirubin

Question 26

kehr sign

Answer 26

abdominal pain radiating to left shoulder (peritoneal irritation from blood, etc)

Question 27

melena

Answer 27

black tarry stool, indicative of digested blood

Question 28

mesentery

Answer 28

fan shaped peritoneum

Question 29

peristalsis

Answer 29

wave-like movement, mechanism of propulsion for contents of alimentary tract

Question 30

pyelonephritis

Answer 30

kidney infection

Question 31

pyloric stenosis

Answer 31

narrowing of pyloric orifice (d/t thickening of pyloric muscle/hypertrophy or hyperplasia of mucosa or submucosa)

Question 32

pylorus

Answer 32

distal section of stomach

Question 33

resonance

Answer 33

percussion obtained with free vibration

Question 34

reflux

Answer 34

backward flow

Question 35

striae

Answer 35

white lines from weakening of elastic tissue

Question 36

tympany

Answer 36

resonant drum-like sound when percussing over air-filled space

Question 37

volvulus

Answer 37

twisting of intestines resulting in obstruction