Anal fistula physical examination
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Manpreet Kaur, MD [2]
Overview
Physical examination
Diagnosis is by examination, either in an outpatient setting or under anaesthesia (referred to as EUA - Examination Under Anaesthesia). The examination can be an anoscopy.
Possible findings:
Overview
Patients with anal fistula usually appear in distress due to rectal pain. Physical examination of patients with [disease name] is usually remarkable for [finding 1], [finding 2], and [finding 3].
OR
Common physical examination findings of [disease name] include [finding 1], [finding 2], and [finding 3].
OR
The presence of [finding(s)] on physical examination is diagnostic of [disease name].
OR
The presence of [finding(s)] on physical examination is highly suggestive of [disease name].
Physical Examination
- Physical examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Physical examination of patients with [disease name] is usually remarkable for:[finding 1], [finding 2], and [finding 3].
- The presence of [finding(s)] on physical examination is diagnostic of [disease name].
- The presence of [finding(s)] on physical examination is highly suggestive of [disease name].
Appearance of the Patient
- Patients with anal fistula usually appear in distress due to throbbing rectal pain.
Vital Signs
Patient presents with anal fistula is having normal vital signs but if anal fistula gets infected, it will lead to the formation of an abscess. Patient with an abscess presents with abnormal vitals:
- High-grade fever
- Tachycardia with regular pulse
- Tachypnea
- Low blood pressure with normal pulse pressure
Skin
Skin examination of patients with anal fistula is usually normal.
HEENT
HEENT examination of patients with anal fistula is usually normal.
Neck
- Neck examination of patients with anal fistula is usually normal.
Lungs
- Pulmonary examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Asymmetric chest expansion / Decreased chest expansion
- Lungs are hypo/hyperresonant
- Fine/coarse crackles upon auscultation of the lung bases/apices unilaterally/bilaterally
- Rhonchi
- Vesicular breath sounds / Distant breath sounds
- Expiratory/inspiratory wheezing with normal / delayed expiratory phase
- Wheezing may be present
- Egophony present/absent
- Bronchophony present/absent
- Normal/reduced tactile fremitus
Heart
- Cardiovascular examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Chest tenderness upon palpation
- PMI within 2 cm of the sternum (PMI) / Displaced point of maximal impulse (PMI) suggestive of ____
- Heave / thrill
- Friction rub
- S1
- S2
- S3
- S4
- Gallops
- A high/low grade early/late systolic murmur / diastolic murmur best heard at the base/apex/(specific valve region) may be heard using the bell/diaphgram of the otoscope
Abdomen
Abdominal examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Abdominal distention
- Abdominal tenderness in the right/left upper/lower abdominal quadrant
- Rebound tenderness (positive Blumberg sign)
- A palpable abdominal mass in the right/left upper/lower abdominal quadrant
- Guarding may be present
- Hepatomegaly / splenomegaly / hepatosplenomegaly
- Additional findings, such as obturator test, psoas test, McBurney point test, Murphy test
Back
- Back examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Point tenderness over __ vertebrae (e.g. L3-L4)
- Sacral edema
- Costovertebral angle tenderness bilaterally/unilaterally
- Buffalo hump
Genitourinary
- Genitourinary examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- A pelvic/adnexal mass may be palpated
- Inflamed mucosa
- Clear/(color), foul-smelling/odorless penile/vaginal discharge
Neuromuscular
- Neuromuscular examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Patient is usually oriented to persons, place, and time
- Altered mental status
- Glasgow coma scale is ___ / 15
- Clonus may be present
- Hyperreflexia / hyporeflexia / areflexia
- Positive (abnormal) Babinski / plantar reflex unilaterally/bilaterally
- Muscle rigidity
- Proximal/distal muscle weakness unilaterally/bilaterally
- ____ (finding) suggestive of cranial nerve ___ (roman numerical) deficit (e.g. Dilated pupils suggestive of CN III deficit)
- Unilateral/bilateral upper/lower extremity weakness
- Unilateral/bilateral sensory loss in the upper/lower extremity
- Positive straight leg raise test
- Abnormal gait (describe gait: e.g. ataxic (cerebellar) gait / steppage gait / waddling gait / choeiform gait / Parkinsonian gait / sensory gait)
- Positive/negative Trendelenburg sign
- Unilateral/bilateral tremor (describe tremor, e.g. at rest, pill-rolling)
- Normal finger-to-nose test / Dysmetria
- Absent/present dysdiadochokinesia (palm tapping test)
Extremities
- Extremities examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.
OR
- Clubbing
- Cyanosis
- Pitting/non-pitting edema of the upper/lower extremities
- Muscle atrophy
- Fasciculations in the upper/lower extremity
- The opening of the fistula onto the skin may be seen
- The area may be painful on examination
- There may be redness
- An area of induration may be felt - thickening due to chronic infection
- A discharge may be seen
- It may be possible to explore the fistula using a fistula probe (a narrow instrument) and in this way it may be possible to find both openings of the fistula