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