Murphy's Sign in Cholecystitis

Murphy's sign is elicited as a part of physical examination of abdomen in order to differentiate the causes of pain originating in the right hypochondrium.

In order to elicit Murphy's sign "lay two fingers over right upper quadrant and ask the patient to breath in. The patient will experience pain and stop to breath in as the inflamed gall bladder impinges on the examiner's fingers. Murphy's sign is positive if the same procedure does not cause pain in left upper quadrant." 

Cholecystitis gives positive Murphy's sign.

Murphy's sign was named after American physician and surgeon John Benjamin Murphy.

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Keywords: Murphy's sign, Cholecystitis, Gallbladder disease.