AANP Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Practice Exam 2025 – The All-in-One Resource to Ensure Exam Success!

Turner's sign refers to the appearance of bruising on the flanks of the body, which can indicate the presence of retroperitoneal bleeding. This sign is often associated with conditions that result in bleeding into the retroperitoneal space, such as a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, trauma, or pancreatitis. The bluish discoloration occurs due to the leakage of blood from the retroperitoneal space into the surrounding soft tissues.

The presence of Turner's sign is clinically significant as it helps in the assessment and diagnosis of underlying conditions that may require immediate medical intervention. It serves as a visual cue that there is a serious issue that may be causing internal bleeding, specifically in the retroperitoneal area, necessitating further diagnostic evaluation such as imaging studies to confirm the source of bleeding.

In contrast, while signs of internal bleeding may present in various ways and include equally serious conditions, Turner's sign specifically corresponds to bleeding in the retroperitoneal space rather than other areas such as intraperitoneal bleeding associated with appendicitis, which would not present this sign. Therefore, the indication of Turner's sign is predominantly linked to retroperitoneal bleeding.