Rebound tenderness and blumberg’s sign are two common symptoms associated with Obturator Pneumonia (OP). OPP is a rare condition that affects males between the ages of 15 – 35 years. Symptoms include: pain in the chest, shortness of breath, fatigue, fever, cough, weight loss and other signs such as nausea or vomiting.
The most common symptom is the feeling of being full after eating food. Other symptoms may include bloating or gas. These symptoms usually last less than three days.
In some cases, patients have no symptoms at all. However, if left untreated, they will die from OP within seven days.
Obligation to eat is one of the main reasons why OP occurs in children under five years old. Children under five years old are not able to digest certain foods properly and therefore develop severe symptoms due to OP.
Symptoms of OP are generally milder than those of pneumonia. However, OP is still dangerous because it causes death in only seven days.
There are several treatments available for OP including antibiotics, steroids and surgery. All these methods have side effects and complications which must be considered before making any decision about treatment. Treatment options depend on the severity of symptoms, type of treatment used and the patient’s age.
Rebound tenderness is the second most common symptom and usually occurs within 1-3 days after the patient first develops shortness of breath.
Rebound tenderness is when the patient feels pain in the obturator area when the doctor applies pressure on it. Blumberg’s sign is when the doctor forcefully moves the patient’s leg outward from the body. If this causes pain in the obturator region, then it is considered a positive sign.
The psoas sign is a physical exam test that is used to detect Obturator Pneumonia (OP). The patient will lie on their back with the hip and knee bent. A doctor will push down on the upper inner thigh while the other hand pushes up on the lower leg. This is then repeated on the other leg. If there is pain in the obturator area or pneumonia is present, then it should cause pain when this pressure is applied.
The rovsing sign is when a patient has a bloated stomach and it becomes tender when the upper abdomen is pressed. This may indicate that there is an accumulation of fluid in the abdomen or other organs are not functioning properly.
In addition to these physical examination tests, blood tests can be used to detect an infection of the blood (septicemia) which may have been caused by an untreated pneumonia.
Obligation to eat is a rare symptom of Obturator Pneumonia (OP). Very few people have this symptom, which usually appears one to three weeks after the first signs of pneumonia. A patient experiencing this symptom will suddenly develop an extreme hunger for sweet and starchy foods such as candy, potatoes or corn. This symptom will then be followed by diarrhea and vomiting one to two days later.
Pain in the chest is one of the main symptoms of Obturator Pneumonia (OP). Around one week after the first signs of pneumonia, some patients will experience pain when taking a deep breath or moving around. This pain should be taken seriously and medical attention sought immediately.
The constant shortness of breath is one of the main symptoms of Obturator Pneumonia (OP), which occurs four to twelve days after the first signs. Other symptoms will generally have appeared one to three days before this. In the early stages, the patient will not be able to take a full breath and may cough or wheeze when they do manage to breathe in. As this condition worsens, the patient will begin to breathe through an open mouth and/or their neck and chest will begin to swell.
Infection in the blood is a rare complication of Obturator Pneumonia (OP) that can be fatal if it is not treated immediately. Pus and other waste materials begin to back up in the blood stream, which can cause the skin and eyes to turn a blue color due to lack of oxygen. Depending on how far the infection has progressed, other organs may also fail. In some cases, the patient may suffer hallucinations and/or convulsions.
The following symptoms are less common than those listed above and usually occur among older patients:
Fever is a symptom that is very rare with Obturator Pneumonia (OP) in general. Children and the elderly are most likely to experience a fever due to this condition. A temperature of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (37.8 degrees Celsius) generally means that other illnesses are also present.
Potential complications of Obturator Pneumonia (OP) that may be life-threatening include:
Obltuitator Pneumonia (OP) is an infection caused by the bacterium “Klebsiella pneumoniae”. It can be classified as either acute or chronic, with the acute type presenting itself as an aggressive infection and the chronic being a slightly slower acting version.
Sources & references used in this article:
Evaluation of acute abdominal pain in adults by SL Cartwright, MP Knudson – American family physician, 2008 – aafp.org
Primary psoas abscess by T Thongngarm, RW McMurray – Annals of the rheumatic diseases, 2001 – ard.bmj.com
Diagnosis of appendicitis: part I. History and physical examination by MH Ebell – American family physician, 2008 – aafp.org
Photo Quiz: An 11-Year-Old with Abdominal Pain by TJ Sandora, AJ McAdam – 2012 – Am Soc Microbiol
Early analgesia for children with acute abdominal pain by R Green, B Bulloch, A Kabani, BJ Hancock… – Pediatrics, 2005 – Am Acad Pediatrics
