The nurse is performing an abdominal assessment. What types of percussion notes can be heard during abdominal assessment?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Percussion notes normally heard during the abdominal assessment may include tympany, which should predominate because air in the intestines rises to the surface when the person is supine; hyperresonance, which may be present with gaseous distention; and dullness, which may be found over a distended bladder, adipose tissue, fluid, or a mass. Flatness is not a term used to describe a percussed sound. Resonance is a low-pitched, clear, hollow sound that predominates in healthy lung tissue but not in the abdomen.

The Nurse Is Performing an Abdominal Assessment