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McBurney's point tenderness
System: Abdominal & Digestive Signs · All abdominal & digestive signs
What it is — and how it is elicited
Maximum tenderness on pressing a point on the right lower abdomen, about a third of the way from the bony hip prominence (ASIS) to the navel.
What a positive finding suggests
Tenderness at this point is associated with acute appendicitis.
◈ Behind the name
Charles McBurney (1845–1913), American surgeon, who described the point in 1889.
Related signs — Abdominal & Digestive Signs
Browse the M section of the A–Z list or return to the Clinical Signs hub.
Please note: This page is an educational reference about clinical examination signs. A clinical sign supports — and never replaces — a full clinical evaluation, examination and appropriate testing. A sign being present does not by itself prove a diagnosis, and an absent sign does not rule one out. If you have symptoms that worry you, see a health professional.