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McBurney’s point is an area on the abdomen where appendicitis pain can occur if pressed by a doctor. It is not always accurate, but along with other symptoms, it can be a useful diagnostic tool. Dr. McBurney also pioneered surgical techniques.
McBurney’s point refers to a particular area of the abdomen. Identified by Dr. Charles Heber McBurney more than 100 years ago, the spot represents the exact area where appendicitis pain can occur if a doctor presses a finger on the spot. Although McBurney’s point and McBurney’s sign aren’t always accurate, they can be useful diagnostic tools for a doctor who suspects appendicitis.
Medical professionals describe areas of the body in anatomical terms; McBurney’s spot, therefore, is described as a spot on the abdomen relative to the pelvic bone and navel. In the first description of him, McBurney thought the spot was 1.5 inches to 2 inches (about 3.8 cm to 5 cm) from an upper end of the right side of the pelvic bone on an imaginary line down to the navel. Modern interpretations of the area place the point one third of the way from the pelvic bone point to the navel.
Below this point on the skin should be the inflamed appendix, although McBurney’s point is not always accurate. Sometimes the appendix, which is an empty, non-essential pouch attached to the digestive system, is actually located above this point and sometimes below. Since inflammation of the appendix is a dangerous condition, however, indications, however accurate, of appendicitis are helpful in diagnosing the doctor.
As part of an examination of a patient who may be suffering from appendicitis, therefore, a doctor may inspect the area for signs of inflammation in the appendix. If the patient feels more pain when the doctor presses a finger into the abdomen at that point, then this is good for McBurney’s sign. This sign gives the doctor an indication that appendicitis is present, but the doctor also typically performs multiple diagnostic tests to further narrow down the diagnostic possibilities.
While the McBurney point may not necessarily indicate the location of a patient’s appendix, pain in that area, along with other biological signs, can be a useful medical tool. These symptoms may include an abnormally high white blood cell count, vomiting, or diarrhea. Many patients with appendicitis, however, do not experience the greatest pain intensity above McBurney’s point, but rather in different areas of the abdomen. In addition to discovering this sign of appendicitis, Dr. Charles Heber McBurney, who lived from 1845 to 1913, also pioneered surgical techniques such as setting broken bones in the arm, removing gallstones, and treating hernias. A technique for removing an inflamed appendix also bears his name, although he was not the first to describe it.
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