In hysterical abdominal distention the symptoms may so closely simulate those of obstruction of the bowel that needless laparotomy is carried out.Clues that indicate hysterical distention rather than organic cause are: (1) History of vomiting but without dehydration; (2) complaint of severe pain although temperature, pulse and the number of leukocytes in the blood all are normal; (3) normal tympanic quality of the abdomen; (4) distention out of proportion to the amount of gas observed in x-ray examination; (5) pronounced lordosis caused by thrusting the abdomen forward; and (6) remission of distention when the patient is under general anesthesia.It must be remembered, however, that even when there is strong suspicion of hysterical cause, distention may actually be due to obstruction. In the case herein reported, obstructive adhesion finally did occur after the patient had had numerous exploratory operations in which the viscera were observed to be normal.
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