During the history of present illness, the patient reports narrowing of stools or pencil-like stools. The nurse knows that this may indicate:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Narrowing of stools or pencil-like stools can indicate a partial intestinal obstruction, where the passage through the intestine is narrowed, affecting the shape of stools. This symptom is often associated with conditions that physically narrow the intestinal lumen, such as tumors or strictures.

During the History of Present Illness, the Patient Reports Narrowing