The common abdominal incision for gall bladder surgery is:

Appeared in: GMCH - 2016

Explanation

Kocher's incision is the standard choice for open cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal).
It is a right subcostal incision, made parallel to and just below the right costal margin (rib cage).
This location provides direct and excellent exposure to the gallbladder and biliary tree, which are located in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen.

Option A: McBurney's incision is located in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen.
Option C: A Pfannenstiel incision is a low, transverse incision made above the pubic bone.
Option D: A left paramedian incision is a vertical cut made to the left of the abdominal midline.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Surgical Incisions and Associated Procedures as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses must be familiar with different surgical incisions to provide appropriate postoperative care, including wound assessment, pain management, and monitoring for specific complications.
A Kocher's incision is high on the abdomen, which can interfere with breathing and coughing post-surgery, increasing the risk of pulmonary complications like atelectasis. Nurses play a key role in encouraging deep breathing exercises and incentive spirometry.
What if? If the patient were undergoing a laparoscopic cholecystectomy (the most common method today), the nurse would expect to find several small puncture wounds (ports) in the upper abdomen instead of one large Kocher's incision. Postoperative care would focus on these smaller sites.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key elements of the question: 'gall bladder surgery' and 'common abdominal incision'.
Recall the anatomical location of the gallbladder: in the right upper quadrant (RUQ) of the abdomen, under the liver.
Evaluate each option based on its typical anatomical location and associated procedure.
A) McBurney's: Right lower quadrant (RLQ) for the appendix.
B) Kocher's: Right subcostal (RUQ), which matches the gallbladder's location.
C) Pfannenstiel: Suprapubic, for pelvic organs like the uterus.

Concept Tested & Keywords

QIeg2OVKD5SaZxSHMMUIjw

E6 Gynecology Williams p. 74-96

Practise the full GMCH - 2016

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.