Deck 17: Abdomen

Question 1

Which organs have both an excretion function and function as endocrine glands?

A) Kidney and liver
B) Liver and gallbladder
C) Pancreas and kidney
D) Gallbladder and pancreas

Answer 1

Pancreas and kidney

Question 2

Peristalsis of intestinal contents is under the control of:

A) cognitive processes.
B) gravity.
C) the autonomic nervous system.
D) the fluid content of the stomach.

Answer 2

the autonomic nervous system.

Question 3

The major function of the large intestine is:

A) water absorption.
B) food digestion.
C) carbohydrate absorption.
D) glucose storage.

Answer 3

water absorption.

Question 4

Most nutrient absorption takes place in the:

A) stomach.
B) small intestine.
C) cecum.
D) transverse colon.

Question 5

Mrs. James is 7 months pregnant and states that she has developed a problem with constipation. She eats a well-balanced diet and is usually regular. You should explain that constipation is common during pregnancy because of changes in the colorectal areas, such as:

A) decreased movement through the colon and increased water absorption from the stool.
B) increased movement through the colon and increased salt taken from foods.
C) looser anal sphincter and fewer nutrients taken from foods.
D) tighter anal sphincter and less iron eliminated in the stool.

Question 6

What part of the small intestine forms a C-shaped curve around the head of the pancreas?

A) Duodenum
B) Ileum
C) Jejunum
D) Pylorus

Question 7

A serous membrane that lines the abdominal cavity and forms a protective cover for many abdominal structures is the:

A) peritoneum.
B) mediastinum.
C) periosteum.
D) hilum.

Question 8

The appendix is an extension of the:

A) stomach.
B) pancreas.
C) small intestine.
D) large intestine.

Question 9

Which of the following is true regarding the stomach?

A) It lies in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen.
B) It secretes gastric lipase, which digests protein.
C) Very little absorption takes place in the stomach.
D) The stomach produces most of the body's bile.

Question 10

When palpating the abdomen, you should note whether the liver is enlarged in the:

A) left lower quadrant.
B) midepigastric region.
C) periumbilical area.
D) right upper quadrant.

Question 11

The most pronounced functional change of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in older adults is:

A) decreased hydrochloric acid production.
B) increased saliva secretion.
C) decreased bile absorption.
D) decreased motility.

Question 12

Contraction of the gallbladder propels bile into the:

A) stomach.
B) duodenum.
C) jejunum.
D) large intestine.

Question 13

Which of the following organs is part of the alimentary tract?

A) Pancreas
B) Stomach
C) Gallbladder
D) Liver

Question 14

The esophagus travels a route from:

A) behind the trachea through the mediastinal cavity.
B) lateral to the trachea through the diaphragm.
C) left of the trachea through the peritoneum.
D) the anterior trachea through the cardiac orifice.

Question 15

When assessing abdominal pain in a college-age woman, one must include:

A) history of interstate travel.
B) food likes and dislikes.
C) age at completion of toilet training.
D) the first day of the last menstrual period.

Question 16

The family history of a patient with diarrhea and abdominal pain should include inquiry about cystic fibrosis because it is:

A) a common genetic disorder.
B) one cause of malabsorption syndrome.
C) a curable condition with medical intervention.
D) the most frequent cause of diarrhea in general practice.

Question 17

The major occupant of the retroperitoneal space is the:

A) kidneys.
B) lungs.
C) spleen.
D) bladder.

Question 18

One major function of the liver is to:

A) secrete pepsin.
B) emulsify fats.
C) store glycogen.
D) absorb bile.

Question 19

Conversion of fat-soluble wastes to water-soluble material for renal excretion is a function of the:

A) gallbladder.
B) kidney.
C) liver.
D) pancreas.

Question 20

The most superior part of the stomach is the:

A) body.
B) fundus.
C) pylorus.
D) pyloric orifice.

Question 21

To assess for liver enlargement in the obese person, you should:

A) use the hook method.
B) have the patient lean over at the waist.
C) auscultate using the scratch technique.
D) attempt palpation during deep exhalation.

Question 22

Inspection of the abdomen should begin with the patient supine and the examiner:

A) seated at the patient's side.
B) standing at the foot of the table.
C) standing at the patient's left.
D) walking around the table.

Question 23

Peritonitis produces bowel sounds that are:

A) hypoactive.
B) hyperactive.
C) high-pitched.
D) absent.

Question 24

Your patient presents with symptoms that lead you to suspect acute appendicitis. Which assessment finding is least likely to be associated with this condition?

A) Positive psoas sign
B) Positive McBurney sign
C) Consistent right lower quadrant (RLQ) pain
D) Rebound tenderness

Question 25

Before performing an abdominal examination, the examiner should:

A) ascertain the patient's HIV status.
B) have the patient empty his or her bladder.
C) don double gloves.
D) completely disrobe the patient.

Question 26

Failure to pass a meconium stool in the first 24 hours after birth, along with abdominal distention, are often the first signs of:

A) Meckel diverticulum.
B) cystic fibrosis.
C) biliary atresia.
D) hydramnios.

Question 27

Infants born weighing less than 1500 g are at higher risk for:

A) hepatitis A.
B) necrotizing enterocolitis.
C) urinary urgency.
D) pancreatitis.

Question 28

Percussion of the abdomen begins with establishing:

A) liver dullness.
B) spleen dullness.
C) gastric bubble tympany.
D) overall dullness and tympany in all quadrants.

Question 29

Mrs. Little is a 44-year-old patient who presents to the office with abdominal pain and fever. During your examination, you ask the patient to raise her head and shoulders while she lies in a supine position. A midline abdominal ridge rises. You chart this observation as a(n):

A) small inguinal hernia.
B) large epigastric hernia.
C) abdominal lipoma.
D) diastasis recti.

Question 30

Which structure is located in the hypogastric region of the abdomen?

A) Bladder
B) Cecum
C) Gallbladder
D) Stomach

Question 31

You are completing a general physical examination on Mr. Rock, a 39-year-old man with complaints of constipation. When examining a patient with tense abdominal musculature, a helpful technique is to have the patient:

A) hold his or her breath.
B) sit upright.
C) flex his or her knees.
D) raise his or her head off the pillow.

Question 32

Percussing at the right midclavicular line, below the umbilicus, and continuing upward is the correct technique for locating the:

A) descending aorta.
B) lower liver border.
C) medial border of the spleen.
D) upper right kidney ridge.

Question 33

When percussing a spleen, Traube's space is a:

A) semilunar region.
B) splenic percussion sign.
C) left-sided pleural effusion.
D) solid mass.

Question 34

Your patient is complaining of acute, intense, sharp epigastric pain that radiates to the back and left scapula, with nausea and vomiting. Based on this history, your prioritized physical examination should be to:

A) percuss for ascites.
B) assess for rebound tenderness.
C) inspect for ecchymosis of the flank.
D) auscultate for abdominal bruits.

Question 35

To document absent bowel sounds correctly, one must listen continuously for:

A) 30 seconds.
B) 1 minute.
C) 3 minutes.
D) 5 minutes.

Question 36

An umbilical assessment in the newborn that is of concern is:

A) a thick cord.
B) umbilical hernia.
C) one umbilical artery and two veins.
D) pulsations superior to the umbilicus.

Question 37

When palpating the aorta, a prominent lateral pulsation suggests:

A) an aortic aneurysm.
B) normal pulsation.
C) a renal artery fistula.
D) a vena cava varicosity.

Question 38

After thorough inspection of the abdomen, the next assessment step is:

A) percussion.
B) palpation.
C) auscultation.
D) rectal examination.

Question 39

Mr. Robins is a 45-year-old man who presents to the emergency department with a complaint of constipation. During auscultation, you note borborygmi sounds. This is associated with:

A) gastroenteritis.
B) peritonitis.
C) satiety.
D) paralytic ileus.

Question 40

When auscultating the abdomen, which finding would indicate collateral circulation between the portal and systemic venous systems?

A) Arterial bruit
B) Gastric rumbling
C) Renal hyperresonance
D) Venous hum

Question 41

Which of the following is the most useful adjunct to the history of present illness when assessing the quantity and degree of a patient's abdominal pain?

A) Appetite and recall of last meal
B) Family comments about the patient
C) Patient's previous medical record
D) Finding abdominal scars

Question 42

You are examining the abdomen of a 45-year-old female patient. When percussing her urine-filled bladder, you will hear _______________ tones.

Question 43

In older adults, overflow fecal incontinence is commonly caused by:

A) malabsorption.
B) parasitic diarrhea.
C) fecal impaction.
D) fistula formation.

Question 44

Costovertebral angle tenderness should be assessed whenever you suspect that the patient may have:

A) cholecystitis.
B) pancreatitis.
C) pyelonephritis.
D) ulcerative colitis.

Question 45

Urinary incontinence that occurs from the inability to hold urine once the stimulus to urinate is perceived is called _____ incontinence.

Question 46

When examining the abdomen, what is the first examination technique used?

A) Inspection
B) Light palpation
C) Percussion
D) Auscultation

Question 47

Baby Joe is 6 months old. He has abdominal distention and vomiting and is inconsolable. A sausage-shaped mass is palpable in his right upper quadrant. Joe's lower quadrant feels empty, and a positive Dance sign is noted in his record. Which one of the following conditions is consistent with Baby Joe's symptoms?

A) Intussusception
B) Kidney stones
C) Meconium ileus
D) Pyloric stenosis

Question 48

A 23-year-old man comes to the urgent care clinic with intense left flank and lower left quadrant pain. A patient response to a history of present illness questions that further supports a tentative diagnosis of renal calculi is which of the following?

A) "My urine has been a bright yellow."
B) "I have had fever and chills for 2 days."
C) "I also have a headache and neck ache."
D) "My left testicle and shoulder hurt as well."

Question 49

Flatulence, diarrhea, dysuria, and tenderness with abdominal palpation are findings usually associated with:

A) diverticulitis.
B) pancreatitis.
C) ruptured ovarian cyst.
D) splenic rupture.

Question 50

The most common congenital anomaly of the gastrointestinal tract is:

A) biliary atresia.
B) pyloric stenosis.
C) intussusception.
D) Meckel diverticulum.

Question 51

A mother brings her 2-year-old child for you to assess. The mother feels a lump whenever she fastens the child's diaper. Nephroblastoma is a likely diagnosis for this child when your physical examination of the abdomen reveals a(n):

A) fixed mass palpated in the hypogastric area.
B) tender, midline abdominal mass.
C) olive-sized mass of the right upper quadrant.
D) nontender, slightly movable, flank mass.

Question 52

A 51-year-old woman calls with complaints of weight loss and constipation. She reports enlarged hemorrhoids and rectal bleeding. You advise her to:

A) use a topical, over the counter hemorrhoid treatment for 1 week.
B) exercise and eat more fiber.
C) come to the laboratory for a stool guaiac test.
D) eat six small meals a day.

Question 53

When using the bimanual technique for palpating the abdomen, you should:

A) push down with the bottom hand and the other hand on top.
B) push down with the top hand and concentrate on sensation with the bottom hand.
C) place the hands side by side and push equally.
D) place one hand anteriorly and the other hand posteriorly, squeezing the hands together.

Question 54

A patient presents to the emergency department after a motor vehicle accident. The patient sustained blunt trauma to the abdomen and complains of pain in the upper left quadrant that radiates to the left shoulder. Which organ is most likely injured?

A) Gallbladder
B) Liver
C) Spleen
D) Stomach