What percussion tone is heard over a distended bladder?

When assessing a distended bladder through percussion, the sound that is typically produced is dullness. This dull tone results from the solid and fluid-filled nature of the bladder when it is full. Dullness indicates that the underlying structures are not air-filled, which is key to identifying the presence of a distended bladder.

The other tones mentioned are associated with different conditions: resonance is typically found over areas filled with air, such as a normal lung; hyperresonance occurs in cases of excessive air, like in pneumothorax; and tympany is often heard over areas filled with gas, such as the stomach. Therefore, dullness is the most accurate percussion tone for a distended bladder, reflecting its full, non-air-filled status.