Abdominal Examination (OSCE Format)
1. Introduction
• Wash hands
• Introduce yourself (name and role)
• Confirm patient's name and age
• Explain the abdominal examination
• Obtain consent
• Ask about abdominal pain and its location
• Position patient lying supine with one pillow
• Expose abdomen from nipples to mid■thigh while maintaining dignity
2. General Inspection
• Assess patient comfort or distress
• Observe for jaundice
• Observe for pallor
• Observe for cachexia or weight loss
• Presence of IV lines, drains or catheters
3. Hands
• Palmar erythema
• Leukonychia
• Clubbing
• Scratch marks (pruritus due to cholestasis)
• Dupuytren’s contracture
• Asterixis (flapping tremor) – hepatic encephalopathy
• Check capillary refill time
• Check radial pulse
4. Arms
• Bruising
• Spider naevi on upper chest or arms
5. Face
• Conjunctival pallor
• Scleral icterus (jaundice)
• Xanthelasma
• Parotid enlargement (chronic liver disease)
• Temporal wasting
1. Introduction
• Wash hands
• Introduce yourself (name and role)
• Confirm patient's name and age
• Explain the abdominal examination
• Obtain consent
• Ask about abdominal pain and its location
• Position patient lying supine with one pillow
• Expose abdomen from nipples to mid■thigh while maintaining dignity
2. General Inspection
• Assess patient comfort or distress
• Observe for jaundice
• Observe for pallor
• Observe for cachexia or weight loss
• Presence of IV lines, drains or catheters
3. Hands
• Palmar erythema
• Leukonychia
• Clubbing
• Scratch marks (pruritus due to cholestasis)
• Dupuytren’s contracture
• Asterixis (flapping tremor) – hepatic encephalopathy
• Check capillary refill time
• Check radial pulse
4. Arms
• Bruising
• Spider naevi on upper chest or arms
5. Face
• Conjunctival pallor
• Scleral icterus (jaundice)
• Xanthelasma
• Parotid enlargement (chronic liver disease)
• Temporal wasting
