ASSESSING ABDOMEN

Question 1

bordered superiorly by the coastal margins, inferiorly by the symphysis pubis and inguinal canals, and laterally by the flanks

Answer 1

abdomen

Question 2

four abdominal quadrants

Answer 2

right upper quadrant
right lower quadrant
left upper quadrant
left lower quadrant

Question 3

nine abdominal regions

Answer 3

right hypochondriac region
left hypochondriac region
epigastric region
right lumbar region
left lumbar region
umbilical region
right iliac (inguinal) region
left iliac (inguinal) region
hypogastric region

Question 4

three types of pain

Answer 4

visceral pain
parietal pain
referred pain

Question 5

it occurs when hollow abdominal organs such as the intestines become distended or contact forcefully, or when the capsules of solid organs such as the liver and spleen are stretched. poorly defined or localized and intermittently timed, this type of pain is often characterized as dull, aching, burning, cramping, or colicky.

Answer 5

visceral pain

Question 6

this pain occurs when the parietal peritoneum becomes inflamed, as in appendicitis or peritonitis. this type of pain tends to localize more to the source and is characterized as a more severe and steady pain

Answer 6

parietal pain

Question 7

it occurs at distant sites that are innervated at approximately the same levels as the disrupted abdominal organ. this type of pain travels, or refers, from the primary site and becomes highly localized at the distant site. the accompanying illustrations show common clinical patterns and referents of pain

Answer 7

referred pain

Question 8

six types of character of abdominal pain

Answer 8

dull, aching
burning, gnawing
pressure
colicky
sharp, knifelike
variable

Question 9

it is usually considered an abnormal finding

Answer 9

abdominal distension

Question 10

it causes a generalized protuberant abdomen, protuberant umbilicus, a fetal heartbeat that can be heard on auscultation, percussible tympany over the intestines, and dullness over the uterus

Answer 10

pregnancy ( normal finding )

Question 11

obesity accounts for most uniformly protuberant abdomens. the abdominal wall is thick, and tympany is the percussion tone elicited. the umbilicus usually appears sunken

Answer 11

fat

Question 12

hard stools in the colon appears as a localized distension. percussion over the area discloses dullness

Answer 12

feces

Question 13

a large ovarian cyst or fibroid tumor appears as generalized distension in the lower abdomen. the mass displaces bowel, does the percussion tone over the distended area is dullness, with tympany at the periphery. the umbilicus may be everted

Answer 13

fibroids and other masses

Question 14

the abdomen distended with gas may appear as a generalized protuberance (as shown), or it may appear more localized. tympany is the percussion tone over the area.

Answer 14

flatus

Question 15

fluid in the abdomen causes generalized protuberance, bulging flanks, and an everted umbilicus. percussion reveals dullness over fluid (bottom of abdomen and flanks) and tympany over intestines (top of abdomen)

Answer 15

ascitic fluid

Question 16

it results from the vowel protruding through a weakness in the umbilical ring. this condition occurs more frequently in infants, but also occurs in adults

Answer 16

umbilical hernia

Question 17

it occurs when the bowel protrudes through a weakness in the linea alba. the small bulge appears midline between the xiphoid process and the umbilicus. it may be discovered only on palpation

Answer 17

epigastric hernia

Question 18

it occurs when the vowel protrudes through a separation between the two rectus abdominis muscles. it appears as a midline ridge. the bulge may appear only when the client raises the head or cuffs. the condition is of little significance

Answer 18

diastasis recti

Question 19

it occurs when the bowel protrudes through a defect or weakness resulting from a surgical incision. it appears as a bulge near a surgical scar on the abdomen.

Answer 19

incisional hernia

Question 20

six types of abdominal distension

Answer 20

pregnancy (normal finding)
fat
feces
fibroids and other masses
flatus
ascitic fluid

Question 21

four types of abdominal bulges

Answer 21

umbilical hernia
epigastric hernia
diastasis recti
incisional hernia

Question 22

eight types of enlarged abdominal organs and other abnormalities

Answer 22

enlarged liver (hepatomegaly)
enlarged nodular liver
liver higher than normal
liver lower than normal
enlarged spleen (splenomegaly)
aortic aneurys enlarged kidney
enlarged gallbladder

Question 23

it is defined as a span greater than 12 cm at the midclavicular line (MCL) and greater than 8 cm at the midsternal line (MSL)

Answer 23

enlarged liver

Question 24

an enlarged non tender liver suggests ___

Answer 24

cirrhosis

Question 25

an enlarged tender liver suggests ______, ______, ______

Answer 25

congestive heart failure, acute hepatitis, or abscess

Question 26

it suggests cancer. other causes may be late cirrhosis or syphilis

Answer 26

enlarged nodular liver

Question 27

a higher position the normal span may because by an abdominal, ascites, or a paralyzed diaphragm

Answer 27

liver higher than normal

Question 28

may be caused by emphysema because the diaphragm is low

Answer 28

liver lower than normal

Question 29

defined by an area of dullness exceeding 7 cm. when enlarged, it progresses downward and toward the midline

Answer 29

enlarged spleen

Question 30

a prominent, laterally pulsating mass above the umbilicus strongly suggests an _______. it is accompanied by a bruit and a wide, bounding pulse

Answer 30

aortic aneurysm

Question 31

it may be due to a cyst, tumor, or hydronephrosis. it may be differentiated from an enlarged spleen by its smooth rather than sharp edge, the absence of a notch, and tympany on percussion

Answer 31

enlarged kidney

Question 32

an extremely tender, _______ suggests acute cholecystitis. a positive finding is a murphy sign (sharp pain that causes the client to hold the breath)

Answer 32

enlarged gallbladder