American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) Certification Practice Test

Grey Turner's sign is indicative of what medical issue?

1. Abdominal perforation

2. Hemorrhagic pancreatitis

3. Inflammatory bowel disease

4. Cholecystitis

The correct answer is: Hemorrhagic pancreatitis

Grey Turner's sign refers to the presence of bruising or discoloration on the flanks, which is a classic physical finding associated with retroperitoneal bleeding. This sign is particularly indicative of hemorrhagic pancreatitis, where the inflammation of the pancreas leads to the breakdown of blood vessels and subsequent bleeding into the retroperitoneal space. The discoloration occurs due to the tracking of blood from the retroperitoneal area to the skin surface and is a late sign of hemorrhage. Recognizing Grey Turner's sign is crucial for clinicians as it aids in the diagnosis of serious conditions like hemorrhagic pancreatitis. In contrast, abdominal perforation, inflammatory bowel disease, and cholecystitis do not typically present with this specific pattern of bruising. Abdominal perforation may present with acute abdominal pain and signs of peritonitis, inflammatory bowel disease often leads to chronic symptoms and may show different abdominal findings, while cholecystitis primarily presents with right upper quadrant pain, especially after eating fatty meals, but does not result in the bruising characteristic of Grey Turner's sign. Hence, when considering the implications of Grey Turner's sign in a clinical context, its association with hemorrhagic pancreatitis is evident.