The nurse is completing an abdominal assessment and is percussing over the left side of the upper portion of the client's abdomen over the area of the stomach. The client states, "I haven't had my breakfast, yet."
The nurse would expect to find which of the following during this part of the examination? 1. Dullness
2. Flatness
3. Tympany
4. Hyperesonance
3
Rationale 1: Dullness suggests a mass within the stomach. It is a short high-pitched sound heard over solid organs, masses, or fluid-filled structures.
Rationale 2: Flat sounds are short and abrupt. They are heard over bone or muscle.
Rationale 3: Tympany is the normal sound that can be heard when an air-filled structure is percussed.
Rationale 4: Hyperesonance is a hollow sound that is louder than tympany. Hyperresonance is louder than tympany and is heard over air-filled or distended intestines.
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