Since the medical commentary isn't up yet ... what do guarding and rebounding mean? The review says, "Elizabeth is examining Eli [the teenager who was in the car accident].... She finds 'no guarding or rebounding.' Cleo insists that there was rebounding earlier." Apparently these would be indications for exploratory surgery. Guarding sounds like "Don't touch me there, it hurts." Could someone with medical knowledge explain what these terms mean and what they indicate? I couldn't find them in the FAQ. Thanx.

-- Driad (carol@fsf.org), April 19, 2000

Answers

Guarding is pretty much what you said. It can be anything from an involuntary tensing of the muscles around the area to someone literally shouting "Don't touch me there it hurts!" like you said :)

Not sure what rebounding is exactly.

Those two signs, along with a firm/rigid belly, are indications of possible internal bleeding or injury.

-- Lynn (lynn@wordsmyth.org), April 19, 2000.

rebound tenderness, or rebounding is an assessment which is performed on a patient. It includes deep palpation into an abdomen and quick release of the pressure...if the patient reacts upon release of the pressure, it is a positive rebound tenderness. you often see this as a positive test for appendicitis.

-- ryanne (umassrye@hotmail.com), April 19, 2000.