ABSTRACT
The abdominal examination (like the respiratory exam) conforms well to the typical clinical examination structure. One starts with inspection, follows with palpation and completes with percussion and auscultation. In some stations the people may be asked to perform an abdominal examination without examining the head or chest, so be careful not to waste valuable time. It may be necessary to demonstrate palpation of the abdominal aorta (in the epigastric area) and the bladder (in the suprapubic area). No abdominal examination is complete without offering to examine the external genitalia, the hernial orifices, and performing a digital rectal examination and urinalysis. The percussion note is dull towards the flanks, and there is shifting dullness.
