How do you palpate for the spleen?
To palpate the spleen, place your right hand behind the patient’s inferior rib cage to support it. Then, use your left hand to palpate along the left costal margin. Have the patient take a deep breath. During the inspiration, perform deep palpation on the inferior edge of the spleen.
Can you palpate a normal spleen?
A normal-sized spleen almost always lies entirely within the rib cage and thus cannot be palpated, but with enlargement it displaces the stomach and descends below the rib cage [4].
How can you distinguish between kidney and spleen on palpation?
- kidney is BALOTTABLE, spleen is NOT.
- NOTCH ON ANTERIOR BORDER – palpable in spleen, not in kidney.
- spleen enlarges diagonally towards RLQ, while the kidney enlarges inferiorly.
- kidney can be resonant to percussion (d/t overlying bowel), spleen should be DULL.
- UPPER EDGE of spleen NOT palpable, upper edge of kidney is.
Why do you palpate the spleen?
The purpose of both palpation and percussion of the spleen is to look for splenic enlargement. Evaluation of splenomegaly is notoriously difficult and embarrassingly easy to miss when present.
Can you feel your spleen with your fingers?
You should try to palpate spleen by superficial palpation and not deep palpation. Splenic tip is just hugging anterior abdominal wall. With superficial palpation, let the splenic tip come and touch your fingers with deep breathing rather than you going after spleen.
How do you palpate an enlarged spleen?
Palpation for splenic enlargement should begin with the patient supine and with knees flexed. Using the right hand, the examiner should begin well below the left costal margin and feel gently but firmly for the splenic edge by pushing down, then cephalad, then releasing (Figure 150.1).
Which assessment technique best confirms splenic enlargement?
Palpation and percussion of the spleen are important techniques for identifying an enlarged spleen.
What is palpation used for?
Palpation is a method of feeling with the fingers or hands during a physical examination. The health care provider touches and feels your body to examine the size, consistency, texture, location, and tenderness of an organ or body part.
How do you know if spleen is enlarged?
Symptoms
- Pain or fullness in the left upper belly that can spread to the left shoulder.
- A feeling of fullness without eating or after eating a small amount because the spleen is pressing on your stomach.
- Low red blood cells (anemia)
- Frequent infections.
- Bleeding easily.
How do you feel if your spleen is enlarged?
What does spleen feel like?
Spleen pain is usually felt as a pain behind your left ribs. It may be tender when you touch the area. This can be a sign of a damaged, ruptured or enlarged spleen.
How do you self check for an enlarged spleen?
Technique
- Start in RLQ (so you don’t miss a giant spleen).
- Get your fingers set then ask patient to take a deep breath.
- When patient expires, take up new position.
- Note lowest point of spleen below costal margin, texture of splenic contour, and tenderness.
- If spleen is not felt, repeat with pt lying on right side.
Where is spleen located?
The spleen is a fist-sized organ in the upper left side of your abdomen, next to your stomach and behind your left ribs. It’s an important part of your immune system, but you can survive without it. This is because the liver can take over many of the spleen’s functions.
Can you feel your spleen?
A spleen is normally about the size of your fist. A doctor usually can’t feel it during an exam. But diseases can cause it to swell and become many times its normal size.