Bowel Sounds
Overview
How to Assess
- Auscultate the abdomen for bowel sounds. First listen in one quadrant and if an abnormality is discovered then listen in each of the three other quadrants.
- In order to be sure that bowel sounds are absent, it is important to listen for at least five minutes.
Interpretation
- Gurgling sounds: movement of gas and fluid via peristalsisNormal
- Borborygmi: loud rumbling sounds due to movement of air within the gutNormal
- Hypoactive: diminished or absent bowel soundsPeritonitis, proximal obstruction, ileus, ischaemia
- Hyperactive: extremely increased bowel soundsGastroenteritis, laxatives, IBD, bowel obstruction
- Hollow, high pitched tinkles: similar to rain on a tin roof, due to liquid and gas under pressure within dilated gutCharacteristic of small bowel obstruction
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