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Inspection

Authoring team

Inspection of the abdomen involves first looking from the foot of the bed along the length of the patient - asymmetry is easier to view from this vantage point. Closer inspection is then made.

Points to note include:

  • symmetry
  • scars
  • pulsatile masses
  • movements of abdominal wall with respiration
  • distension - fat, faeces, flatus, foetus, tumour, phantom pregnancy
  • caput Medusae (1) - the appearance of distended and engorged superficial epigastric veins, which are seen radiating from the umbilicus across the abdomen
  • visible peristalsis
  • striae

An oblique light may be used to distinguish the shadows produced by masses moving across the abdomen with respiration.

Reference

  1. Sharma B, Raina S. Caput medusae. Indian J Med Res. 2015 Apr;141(4):494.

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