What sign is characterized by a palpable distended painless gallbladder in a jaundiced patient?

The correct answer highlights Courvoisier's sign, which is clinically defined as the presence of a palpable, distended, and typically painless gallbladder in a patient who presents with jaundice. This sign generally indicates an obstruction of the common bile duct, most commonly due to a malignancy, such as pancreatic cancer, or another form of biliary obstruction.

In the context of a jaundiced patient, the distended gallbladder results from the build-up of bile that cannot flow past the obstruction. Unlike other signs related to gallbladder or biliary pathology, Courvoisier's sign specifically emphasizes the relationship between jaundice and the physical finding of the distended gallbladder. This is crucial for clinicians as it can guide further diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for conditions affecting the bile ducts.

Other signs mentioned relate to different clinical scenarios; for example, Murphy's sign is used to detect gallbladder inflammation, Kehr's sign relates to referred pain in the shoulder due to splenic issues, and the cholecystitis sign tends to focus on pain elicited during gallbladder palpation, typically in inflammatory processes. These are not characterized by the specific combination of jaundice and a palpable gallbladder indicative of an