The nurse completes percussion of the abdomen on an older adult client.
Which finding is considered normal for this client?
A.
Tenderness.
B.
Musical and drumlike.
C.
Absent sounds.
D.
Pain.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answer is B. Musical and drumlike.
In percussion of the abdomen, a musical and drumlike sound is known as tympany. Tympany occurs when there is a significant amount of air present in the underlying structures, such as the intestines or stomach. It is the most common sound heard during abdominal percussion, especially over areas filled with gas, such as the stomach and intestines. This sound is considered a normal finding during abdominal assessment, particularly in older adults whose bowel function and air content in the intestines may lead to an increased presence of tympanic sounds.
Explanation of the Other Options:
- A. Tenderness: Tenderness is an abnormal finding during percussion. It suggests underlying inflammation, infection, or other pathology like appendicitis, peritonitis, or an abdominal mass. Percussion should not cause pain or discomfort in a healthy individual, and tenderness during percussion requires further investigation.
- C. Absent sounds: This option likely refers to bowel sounds heard during auscultation, not percussion. Absent bowel sounds can indicate an emergency, such as a bowel obstruction or perforation, and are not a normal finding in percussion. However, in percussion, a dull sound would be abnormal and could indicate a mass or fluid in the abdomen, such as ascites.
- D. Pain: Pain during percussion is an abnormal finding. Like tenderness, it indicates potential underlying issues, such as infection or trauma. Painful areas might suggest inflammation of organs like the liver, spleen, or intestines.
Percussion of the abdomen provides valuable information about the contents of the abdominal cavity. Tympanic sounds are expected over air-filled organs, while dullness indicates solid organs like the liver or abnormal findings such as masses. Therefore, hearing tympany over the stomach and intestines is a normal finding, especially in older adults who may have more gas in their digestive tract due to age-related changes in digestion.