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Related Concept Videos

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The abdominal examination is a cornerstone of clinical medicine, serving as a critical tool in diagnosing various gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. It involves a systematic approach that includes inspection and auscultation, each with distinct yet complementary roles in assessing the abdomen. This article will delve into these two primary methods healthcare professionals use to examine the abdomen.
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Assessing the gastrointestinal (GI) system is a complex process that begins with collecting subjective data. This data, collected through patient interviews, provides crucial insights into the patient's health history, perception patterns, and lifestyle habits, all contributing significantly to GI health.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 27, 2025

Quantification of Levator Ani Hiatus Enlargement by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Males and Females with Pelvic Organ Prolapse
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Visible abdominal distension in functional gut disorders: Objective evaluation.

Elizabeth Barba1,2, Emanuel Burri1,3, Sergio Quiroga4

  • 1Digestive System Research Unit, University Hospital Vall d'Hebron; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (Ciberehd); Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain.

Neurogastroenterology and Motility
|September 25, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Visible abdominal distension in functional gut disorders is objectively confirmed. Intestinal gas accumulation does not explain the distension; instead, abdominophrenic dyssynergia is the primary cause.

Keywords:
abdominal distensionabdominophrenic dyssynergiaabdominothoracic electromyographyabdominothoracic imagingintestinal gas

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Functional Assessment of Intestinal Motility and Gut Wall Inflammation in Rodents: Analyses in a Standardized Model of Intestinal Manipulation
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Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology
  • Functional Gut Disorders
  • Abdominal Imaging and Electrophysiology

Background:

  • Visible abdominal distension is a common symptom in functional gut disorders.
  • Potential causes include distorted perception, intestinal gas, and abdominophrenic dyssynergia.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To objectively investigate the underlying mechanisms of visible abdominal distension in patients with functional gut disorders.
  • To differentiate between gas accumulation and abdominophrenic dyssynergia as causes of distension.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of 139 patients with functional gut disorders and visible abdominal distension.
  • Objective measurements included tape measure, static abdominal CT scans, and dynamic EMG recordings of abdominal walls and diaphragm.
  • Patients were evaluated under basal conditions and during self-reported distension episodes.

Main Results:

  • Objective evidence of distension was confirmed in 138/139 patients by tape measure, 96/104 by CT, and 73/76 by EMG (reduced abdominal wall activity).
  • Intestinal gas volume did not correlate with distension in most patients (99/104), with only 5 showing increased gas.
  • Abdominophrenic dyssynergia was consistently observed, with diaphragmatic contraction (EMG: 34/35, CT: 82/103) and abdominal wall relaxation.

Conclusions:

  • Subjective claims of visible abdominal distension are objectively verifiable.
  • Increased intestinal gas is not the primary driver of visible abdominal distension.
  • Abdominophrenic dyssynergia is the consistent finding, with dynamic EMG being more sensitive than static CT for diagnosis.