Aplastic Anemia: Examination

A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps:

  • General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body weight, height; further:
    • Inspection (viewing).
      • Skin, mucous membranes and sclerae ( white part of the eye) [increased hematoma formation (bruising)].
      • Abdomen (abdomen)
        • Shape of the abdomen?
        • Skin color? Skin texture?
        • Efflorescences (skin changes)?
        • Pulsations? Bowel movements?
        • Visible vessels?
        • Scars? Hernias (fractures)?
    • Examination of the abdomen
      • Percussion (tapping) of the abdomen
        • [Meteorism (flatulence): hypersonoric tapping sound.
        • Attenuation of tapping sound due to enlarged liver or spleen, tumor, urinary retention?
        • Hepatomegaly (liver enlargement) and/or splenomegaly (spleen enlargement): estimate liver and spleen size]
      • Palpation of abdomen and lymph node stations (tenderness?, tapping pain?, coughing pain?, guarding tension?, hernial ports?, renal bearing tapping pain?)
  • Cancer prevention

Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.