2. CREDITS
Author
Ebondo Mpinga, MD,FACS
Contributors
Michael Hughes, MD ,FACS (expert performance video)
Richard Damewood, MD,FACS (modified score assessment tool)
Duane Patterson, PhD (technical support)
Paul Schreck (videographer )
Editors
Keith Clancy, MD, FACS
Amanda Beattie, MD , R5
York Hospital Department of Surgery, York, PA
3. OBJECTIVES
After the completion of this module the
student should be able to:
1. Perform a complete abdominal exam.
2. Recognize the signs of peritonitis.
3. Arrive at a differential diagnosis based upon the
findings elicited during the exam.
4. ABDOMINAL EXAM
Although we will focus on the abdominal exam, it cannot
be overemphasized that a thorough physical exam
(head to toes) is important to help in arriving at a
comprehensive differential diagnosis list.
Examples :
presence of jaundice may add consideration of a biliary
/hepatic etiology
Irregularly irregular heart rate atrial fibrillation->
mesenteric ischemia
Crackle at lung bases pneumonia
Skin lesions (pyoderma gangrenosum) -> IBD
5. ABDOMINAL WALL
DESCRIPTION
The abdomen is generally
divided into four quadrants by
two artificial lines that intersect
at the umbilicus
Other systems exist to further
subdivide these four quadrants
into nine regions/sections
RUQ LUQ
LLQ
RLQ
Epigastric
Right
Hypochondrium
Right
flank
Left
flank
Umbilical
Right
Iliac
Left
Iliac
Hypogastric
/ suprapubic
Left
Hypochondrium
6. ABDOMINAL EXAM
The exam should be performed in this specific order
General appearance
Vital signs
Inspection
Auscultation
Percussion
Palpation
It should include
An examination of the inguinal area
including the external genitalia in males (testes)
A rectal exam (discussed in a separate module)
A pelvic exam in women (discussed in a separate module)
8. General Appearance
Head-to-toe (skin, eyes, LOC,
position, demeanor)
Inflammation, peritonitis
Lies perfectly still
Or in bed with thighs and knees
flexed
Obstruction / colic
Restless, writhing
Abdominal distension?
Shock
Pallor/ cyanosis/ diaphoresis/
decreased mental status
9. Vital Signs
Tachycardia
? Early shock (may present prior to hypotension)
May be absent if on Beta blockers
Rapid shallow breathing (splinting)
Peritonitis
Hypotension
May be late finding depending on pre-existing state of health
Fever
Infectious etiology or perforation
10. Inspection
Abdominal contour
Distended vs. scaphoid
Irregular -> mass /
volvulus / obstruction /
hernias
Skin
Ecchymosis around
umbilicus, flanks
pancreatitis? Trauma
(seat belt sign)?
Scars
Prominent veins on the
abdominal wall
Portal hypertension
11. Auscultation
Bowel Sounds
Auscultate all regions
Listen in each region
Listen before feeling
Absent bowel sounds
ileus, peritonitis, shock
Hyperactive
Enteritis / obstruction
(high pitched or distant)
Bruits
AAA / Reno-vascular
diseases
Iliac and Femoral
arteries
Aorta
Femoral arteries
Iliac arteries
Renal Renal
12. Percussion
Hyperresonance
(tympani)
Bowel distension with
air->obstruction
In all quadrants but
RUQ (liver dullness)
Loss of liver dullness in
RUQ-> Free air
Fluid wave
Ascites (may be hard to
elicit in the obese)
13. Palpate each region
Work toward area of pain
Warm hands
Communicate with patient
Let the patient know what
you are about to do
Place Patient supine
knee bent (if possible)
Epigastric Left
Hypochondriac
Right
Hypochondriac
Right
flank
Left
flank
Umbilical
Right
Iliac
Left
Iliac
Hypogastric
Palpation
14. Palpation
Note tenderness
Localize vs. diffuse
Rigidity
Rebound
Press on the abdomen and release
Present if pain is worse upon
release
Avoid too sudden of a release
(may startle patient -> false +)
Involuntary & voluntary guarding
Distract the patient while palpating
to detect involuntary guarding
Feel for masses
15. Signs highly suggestive of
peritonitis
Tenderness to percussion
Tenderness elicited when the examiner firmly taps
on the Iliac crest
Tenderness elicited when the examiner firmly taps
on the heel of the patient’s extended leg
Tenderness when the bed is gently shaken or the
patient coughs
Rebound tenderness
16. Abdominal exam:
findings that suggest specific etiology
Biliary / hepatic etiology
Courvoisier' sign
Palpable gallbladder in the
presence of painless jaundice
periampullary tumor
Caput medusa (Cruveilhier sign)
Varicose veins at umbilicus
cirrhosis with portal HTN
Murphy’s sign
Pain caused during inspiration
while palpating the RUQ-> acute
cholecystitis
Ransohoff sign
Periumbilical yellow discoloration
-> ruptured CBD
17. Abdominal exam:
findings that suggest specific etiology
Appendicitis
Rovsing’s sign
Palpation on the LLQ produces
tenderness at McBurney’s point
Ten Horn test
Pain caused by gentle traction of the
right testicle
Aaron sign
Persistent pressure applied at
McBurney ‘s point causes pressure
in the epigatrium and upper chest
wall
18. Abdominal exam:
findings that suggest specific etiology
Pelvic inflammation/abscess
Iliopsoas sign
Allow patient to lie on the opposite
side of the pain
Extend the thigh on the affected side
This should cause pain if there is
irritation of the iliopsoas muscle
(seen with appendicitis as well)
Obturator sign
Flexion and internal rotation of the
right thigh while supine elicits
hypogastric pain
Indicates irritation of obturator
internus muscle (seen with
appendicitis as well)
Chandelier sign
Extreme lower abdominal/pelvic pain
with movement of the cervix
19. Abdominal exam:
findings that suggest specific etiology
Hemoperitoneum
Hemorrhagic pancreatitis
Cullen’s sign
periumbilical bruising-> hemoperitoneum
Grey Turner’s sign
Local area of discoloration around the flanks-> acute
hemorrhagic pancreatitis
Danforth sign
shoulder pain on inspiration-> hemoperitoneum
Kehr’s sign
Left shoulder pain when supine or pressure applied to LUQ->
splenic rupture
20. Inguinal exam
Palpation of the inguinal area
with & without vasalva
maneuver
Ask patient to cough
Ask patient to take a deep
breath and bear down
Pay attention to the femoral
area to rule out femoral
hernias
In the male, the testis should
be examined
to rule out testicular torsion
21. COMMON ERRORS
Focus only on the abdomen
Begin with palpation prior to inspection, auscultation and percussion
Not asking the patient to localize the pain and therefore beginning
palpation of the affected area first, exacerbating the pain and thus
precluding complete examination of the abdomen
Skipping the rectal, pelvic and groin exam
Putting too much weight on the absence of rebound tenderness to r/o
peritonitis
Putting to much weight on the physical exam in an immunosuppressed
patient who may not exhibit normal signs of peritonitis
Forgetting to consider mesenteric ischemia when there is pain out of
proportion to clinical exam
23. Severe central abdominal pain with
shock and no peritoneal signs
Intra-abdominal causes
Acute pancreatitis (pain
radiating to back)
24. Severe central abdominal pain with
shock and no peritoneal signs
Intra-abdominal causes
Acute pancreatitis (pain
radiating to back)
Rupture AAA (pulsatile
mass) STAT
SURGERY
25. Severe central abdominal pain with
shock and no peritoneal signs
Intra-abdominal causes
Acute pancreatitis (pain
radiating to back)
Rupture AAA (pulsatile
mass) !! STAT
SURGERY
Hemoperitoneum
!! STAT
SURGERY
Spontaneous rupture of
spleen/Splenic artery
aneurysm (pain radiates
to left shoulder)
26. Severe central abdominal pain with
shock and no peritoneal signs
Intra-abdominal causes
Acute pancreatitis (pain
radiating to back)
Rupture AAA (pulsatile mass)
!! STAT SURGERY
Hemoperitoneum
!! STAT SURGERY
Spontaneous rupture of
spleen/Splenic artery
aneurysm (pain radiates to
left shoulder)
Ruptured ectopic pregnancy
27. Severe central abdominal pain with
shock and no peritoneal signs
Intra-abdominal causes
Acute pancreatitis (pain
radiating to back)
Rupture AAA (pulsatile mass)
!! STAT SURGERY
Hemoperitoneum
!! STAT SURGERY
Spontaneous rupture of
spleen/Splenic artery
aneurysm
Rupture ectopic pregnancy
Late mesenteric ischemia
Extra- abdominal causes
Acute MI with cardiogenic
shock
28. Severe abdominal pain with diffuse
peritoneal signs
Perforated viscous
STAT SURGERY
Gastric/duodenal ulcers
Gallbladder
Complication of Small and
large bowel obstruction
Maximal distention leading
to peroration (Cecum)
Necrotic bowel due to
mesenteric ischemia or
strangulated hernias
Patients will rapidly progress to septic
shock if surgery is delayed
29. Severe central abdominal pain
without associated signs
Intra-abdominal
causes
Intestinal colic
Early appendicitis
Early/ mild pancreatitis
Early mesenteric
thrombosis
30. Severe central abdominal pain
without associated signs
Intra-abdominal causes
Intestinal colic
Early appendicitis
Early/ mild pancreatitis
Early mesenteric
thrombosis
Extra- abdominal causes
Herpes Zoster (rash in
dermatome distribution)
CAD (ECG/Enzymes)
Glaucoma
Tabes dorsalis (rare)
31. Severe central abdominal pain with
distension, no vomiting & peritoneal
signs
Intra-abdominal causes
Large bowel obstruction
while ileocecal valve is
competent
Sigmoid diverticular
stricture/ inflammation/
cancer
Volvulus
Hernias
Adhesions
32. Severe central abdominal pain with
distension, no vomiting & peritoneal
signs
Intra-abdominal causes
Large bowel obstruction
while ileocecal valve is
competent
Sigmoid diverticular
stricture/ inflammation/
cancer
Volvulus
Hernias
Adhesions
Extra- abdominal causes
Uremia
33. Severe central abdominal pain with
vomiting, distension & no peritoneal
signs
Small obstruction
Bilious vomiting in proximal
obstruction
Feculent vomiting in distal
SB obstruction
Gastric outlet obstruction
Non-bilious vomiting
Undigested food particles
34. Severe abdominal pain with
localized peritoneal signs
RUQ
Acute cholecystitis (pain
referred to back)
41. Severe abdominal pain with
localized peritoneal signs
LUQ
Pancreatitis (most
common cause)
Perforated gastric ulcer
localized by adhesions
Splenic infarct/ injury
Subphrenic abscess
Jejunal diverticulitis
Pyelonephritis
42. Severe abdominal pain with
localized peritoneal signs
LLQ
Diverticulitis of sigmoid
and left colon
Colon cancer with
surrounding
inflammation
Upper extension of
pelvic abscess
IBD
Pyelonephritis
43. Severe abdominal pain with
localized peritoneal signs
Hypogastric / Suprapubic area
Perforated diverticulitis
or appendicitis
Appendicitis
Pelvic appendix
Urinary tract
Ureteral stones
lower ureter
Bladder distention
Cystitis