divarication

[Nabeel Chaudhry]

Hi Steve,

I got a referral for ?divarication. What would be your protocol you would use? Is it necessary to document the length of the divarication down the linea alba or just the lenght between the right and left abdo recti?

Nabeel

[Stephen Bird]

Hi Nabeel,

A few things to consider,

Firstly you need to exclude a defect in the line alba which would represent a ventral hernia

Then use the panoramic mode with the patient relaxed and measure the width of the linea alba between the rectus abdomens muscles

Then ask the patient to do a small sit up and repeat the process measuring the width.

The length of the linea alba is not important here.

Then I would look at the rectus abdominus muscle bellies and comment on any atrophy or fibro-fatty replacement features.

I would have a look up and down the spigelian line and check out the lateral abdominal wall muscles ( TA, EO, IO ) again looking for hernia and muscle atrophy change.

that should about do it,

cheers

Steve

[Nabeel Chaudhry]

Great, Thanks Steve.

[Sally Stabler]

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the tips. Just curious about the linea Alba width measurement with a sit up…I thought that this measurement would stay the samec with valsalva…just bulges anteriorly? Also is there a guideline on normal/ abnormal measurement you use for divarication..eg >2.5cm Linda Alba width?

Thanks Steve.

[Author]

Posts