Ex 3 Abdominal Assessment Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering anatomical landmarks, subjective assessment, physical examination techniques, and clinical findings for abdominal assessment.

Linea Alba

A tendinous seam that joins the four layers of large, flat abdominal muscles at the midline of the ventral abdominal wall.

Peritoneum

A double envelope of serous membrane that lines the abdominal wall (parietal layer) and covers the organs (visceral layer).

Abdominal Quadrants

The four anatomical divisions of the abdomen: Right Upper Quadrant (RUQ), Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ), Right Lower Quadrant (RLQ), and Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ).

Solid Viscera

Abdominal organs that maintain a characteristic shape, including the liver, pancreas, spleen, adrenal glands, kidneys, ovaries, and uterus.

Hollow Viscera

Abdominal organs whose shape depends on their contents, including the stomach, gallbladder, small intestine, colon, and bladder.

Dysphagia

Difficulty swallowing, which can be associated with pain, choking, or throat/esophageal and neurological disorders.

PQRST Method

A systematic abdominal pain assessment framework evaluating Provocation/Palliation, Quality, Region/Radiation, Severity/Associated Symptoms, and Timing.

Visceral Pain

Dull, general, poorly localized pain arising from internal organs, often felt in the midline.

Parietal (Somatic) Pain

Sharp, precisely localized abdominal pain arising from peritoneal inflammation that is aggravated by movement.

Referred Pain

Abdominal pain felt in a location that originates from a disorder in another anatomical site.

Hematemesis

Vomiting of blood or material with a "coffee ground" appearance, indicating upper gastrointestinal bleeding from ulcers or esophageal varices.

Melena

Black stool that suggests upper gastrointestinal bleeding.

Abdominal Contours

The profile descriptions of the abdomen viewed from the side on inspection, categorized as flat, scaphoid, rounded, or protuberant.

Scaphoid Abdomen

An abdominal contour profile where the surface caves inward.

Ascites

Abdominal distention caused by fluid accumulation, characterized by a single curve, everted umbilicus, bulging flanks, taut glistening skin, and a fluid wave.

Caput Medusae

Prominent dilated veins visible across the abdominal wall, associated with severe liver disease or portal hypertension.

Bowel Sounds

High-pitched, gurgling, cascading sounds occurring $5\text{--}30$ times per minute, assessed using the stethoscope diaphragm starting in the RLQ.

General Tympany

The predominant percussion note across all four abdominal quadrants caused by intestinal air rising to the surface.

Costovertebral Angle Percussion

Indirect fist percussion over the $12\text{th}$ rib on the back; a normal response is a thud without pain, whereas sharp pain indicates kidney inflammation.

Light Palpation

Depressing the abdominal skin $1\,\text{cm}$ with gentle rotary motion to form an overall impression of the surface and superficial musculature.

Deep Palpation

Depressing the abdomen $5\text{--}8\,\text{cm}$ moving clockwise to determine the location, size, and consistency of organs and masses.

Involuntary Rigidity

A constant, boardlike hardness of the abdominal wall muscles that indicates peritoneal inflammation.

Voluntary Guarding

Bilateral abdominal muscle contraction occurring when a patient is cold, tense, or ticklish, which relaxes during exhalation.

Liver Palpation

Technique where the examiner supports the back under the ribs with the left hand and palpates the RUQ with the right hand during inspiration.

Aorta Palpation

Palpation slightly left of midline using opposing thumb and fingers; normal width is $2.5\text{--}4\,\text{cm}$ with anterior pulsation.

Anorexia

Decrease in appetite

Dysphasia

Difficulty swallowing

Factors of subjective abdomen assessment

Appetite changes, dysphasia, food intolerance