Download AssessmentoftheAbdom..

Denise Coffey MSN, RN
ASSESSMENT OF THE ABDOMEN
Anatomy Review
 Surface landmarks
 Borders of abdominal cavity
 Abdominal muscles
 Internal anatomy (viscera)
 Solid viscera
 Liver
 Pancreas
 Spleen
 Adrenal glands
 Kidneys
 Ovaries
 Uterus
Anatomy Review
 Internal anatomy (viscera) (cont.)
 Hollow viscera
 Stomach
 Gallbladder
 Small intestine
 Colon
 Bladder
Anatomy Review
Anatomy Review
Landmarking
 Abdominal wall divided into four quadrants
 Right upper (RUQ)
 Left upper (LUQ)
 Right lower (RLQ)
 Left lower (LLQ)
Landmarking
Subjective Data









Appetite
Dysphagia
Food intolerance
Abdominal pain
Nausea/vomiting
Bowel habits
Abdominal history
Medications
Nutritional assessment
Objective Data
Inspect the abdomen






Contour
Symmetry
Umbilicus
Skin
Pulsation or movement
Hair distribution
Objective Data
Auscultate the abdomen
 Bowel sounds
 Vascular sounds
(bruits)
Percuss the abdomen
 General tympany
 Liver span
 Usual technique
 Scratch test
 Splenic dullness
 Costovertebral angle
tenderness
 Special procedures
 Fluid wave
 Shifting dullness
Objective Data
Palpate the liver
 Measures to enhance
muscle relaxation
 Light palpation
 Deep palpation
 Bimanual palpation
 Normally palpable
structures
 Liver
 Spleen
 Kidneys
 Aorta
Objective Data
Abnormalities
 Obesity
 Umbilical hernia
 Air or gas
 Epigastric hernia
 Ascites
 Incisional hernia
 Ovarian cyst
 Diastasis recti
 Pregnancy
 Feces
 Tumor
Abnormalities
 Hypoactive bowel sounds
 Hyperactive bowel sounds
 Enlarged liver
 Enlarged nodular liver
 Enlarged gallbladder
 Enlarged spleen
 Enlarged kidney
 Aortic aneurysm
Abnormalities