The role of auscultation and registration of bowel sounds in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis.

• The study described was designed to evaluate the role of auscultation and registration of bowel sounds in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. In 37 patients with suspected acute appendicitis undergoing appendicectomy the bowel sounds were registered twice pre-operatively and once on the postoperative day. The results show that single registration of bowel sounds is rarely diagnostic, but repeated examinations with the method used in this study might provide an additional factor to reaching a diagnosis. However, the results are difficult to apply directly to the clinical situation, and further evaluation of this method, as well as an improvement of the technical equipment used, is essential.

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