McBurney's point of tenderness is present in?

JODHPUR AIIMS SNO-2018

Medical & Surgical Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: JODHPUR AIIMS SNO-2018

Explanation

McBurney's point tenderness is a classic physical examination finding strongly associated with acute appendicitis.
The point is located one-third of the distance from the anterior superior iliac spine to the umbilicus in the right lower quadrant.
Inflammation of the appendix irritates the adjacent parietal peritoneum, causing localized pain and tenderness at this specific location.
This sign helps differentiate appendicitis from other causes of abdominal pain.

Option B: Acute tonsillitis is an infection of the tonsils located in the throat. Its primary symptoms are sore throat, fever, and swollen tonsils, not abdominal pain.
Option C: Acute cholecystitis is inflammation of the gallbladder. It typically presents with pain in the right upper quadrant (RUQ) of the abdomen and a positive Murphy's sign (inspiratory arrest on palpation of the RUQ).
Option D: Acute gastritis is inflammation of the stomach lining. It causes symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and pain in the epigastric (upper central) region of the abdomen, not the right lower quadrant.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Anatomical landmarks and associated pathologies (McBurney's point and appendicitis) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
A key nursing responsibility during an abdominal assessment is to check for localized tenderness. Identifying tenderness at McBurney's point requires immediate reporting to the healthcare provider for further evaluation.
This sign is a critical piece of data that, along with other symptoms like fever, nausea, and anorexia, helps build a case for suspected appendicitis, expediting care.
What if? If a patient presents with left lower quadrant pain instead, the nurse should consider other diagnoses like diverticulitis, as appendicitis typically causes right-sided pain (unless the patient has a rare anatomical variation like situs inversus).

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core concept in the question: 'McBurney's point of tenderness'.
Recall or look up the definition and clinical significance of this specific medical sign.
Analyze the provided image, which visually confirms the location of McBurney's point in the right lower quadrant.
Evaluate each option to see which medical condition is classically associated with tenderness at this specific anatomical location.
Eliminate options related to other body parts (tonsillitis) or different abdominal quadrants (cholecystitis, gastritis).
Select the option that directly corresponds to the well-established clinical sign.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Anatomical landmarks and associated pathologies (McBurney's point and appendicitis)
Stem keywords: McBurney's point, tenderness
Lead-in keywords: present in
Negative lead-in flag: false

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