This section contains notes that accompany the video excerpts “Examination of a Patient with Acute Abdominal Pain” and “Approach to Children During an Abdominal Examination.”
The aim is to demonstrate how the examination works in the context of an actual patient with abdominal pain. These excerpts illustrate not only the techniques used in an abdominal examination but also the communication between physician and patient.
The excerpt begins with a patient presenting to a physician with acute abdominal pain. The history-taking has not been filmed, the course of the symptoms is discussed in this section.
Abdominal pain often occurs in children. The examination of children requires tailoring the approach to the age of the patient. The video-clips contain three excerpts involving the examination of children of various ages (7 months, 4 years and 7 years). The aim of these excerpts is not to discuss the actual symptoms or diagnosis, but to illustrate the approach to the child. Therefore, the examination is not complete. Some specific points to consider when examining children are mentioned.