Physical Exam

Abdomen Auscultation

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Video coming September 2026

How to Perform

Before palpation, place the diaphragm of the stethoscope (firm pressure with a tunable stethoscope) on the abdomen directly on skin and listen in one or more quadrants for bowel sounds, noting their presence, frequency, and character over a sufficient period.

How to Interpret

Bowel Obstruction

High-pitched, hyperactive, or "tinkling" bowel sounds

Rule in

Minimally helpfulDerived CI

Rule out

Not helpfulDerived CI

Evidence:Limited

Renovascular Hypertension

Continuous (systolic-diastolic) abdominal bruit

Rule in

Very helpful

Rule out

Minimally helpfulDerived CI

Evidence:Limited

References

Breum BM, Kirkegaard T, Nordentoft T, Rud B. Accuracy of abdominal auscultation for bowel obstruction. World J Gastroenterol. 2015;21(34):10018-10024. doi:10.3748/wjg.v21.i34.10018. PMID 26379407. PMC4566372. (Free full text: https://www.wjgnet.com/1007-9327/full/v21/i34/10018.htm)
Gu Y, Lim HJ, Moser MAJ. How useful are bowel sounds in assessing the abdomen? Dig Surg. 2010;27(5):422-426. doi:10.1159/000319372. PMID 20948217.
Lau JY, Chung SC, Sung JJ, Chan AC, Ng EK, Suen RC, Li AK. Through-the-scope balloon dilation for pyloric stenosis: long-term results. Gastrointest Endosc. 1996;43(2):98-101. doi:10.1016/s0016-5107(06)80107-0. PMID 8635729.
Hardison JE. Venous hum of the Cruveilhier-Baumgarten syndrome: response to the Valsalva maneuver. Arch Intern Med. 1977;137(11):1623-1624. PMID 921454.
Staniland JR, Ditchburn J, De Dombal FT. Clinical presentation of acute abdomen: study of 600 patients. Br Med J. 1972;3(5823):393-398. PMID: 4506871.
Lederle FA, Simel DL. Does this patient have abdominal aortic aneurysm? JAMA. 1999;281(1):77-82. PMID: 9892455.
Turnbull JM. The rational clinical examination. Is listening for abdominal bruits useful in the evaluation of hypertension? JAMA. 1995;274(16):1299-1301. PMID: 7563536.
Lawrence YR, Pokroy R, Berlowitz D, Aharoni D, Hain D, Breuer GS. Splenic infarction: an update on William Osler's observations. Isr Med Assoc J. 2010;12(6):362-365. PMID: 20928991.
Bickley LS, Szilagyi PG, Hoffman RM, Soriano RP. Bates' Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking. 13th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Wolters Kluwer; 2021.
Swartz MH. Textbook of Physical Diagnosis: History and Examination. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025.

Research last updated September 10, 2026.