Murphy's sign
Last edited 02/2022 and last reviewed 02/2022
A positive Murphy's sign is seen in acute cholecystitis:
- refers to where the patient stops breathing due to pain when an examiner touches the inflamed gallbladder
- elicited by firmly placing a hand at the costal margin in the right upper abdominal quadrant and asking the patient to breathe deeply
- if the gallbladder is inflamed, the patient will experience pain and catch their breath as the gallbladder descends and comes in contact with the palpating hand
A similar manoeuvre in the left upper quadrant should not elicit discomfort.