borborygmos /bôr′bərig″məs/ pl. borborygmi [Gk, borborygmos, bowel rumbling] , an audible abdominal sound produced by hyperactive intestinal peristalsis. Borborygmi are audible abdominal sounds produced by hyperactive intestinal peristalsis. Borborygmi are very loud rumbling, gurgling, and tinkling noises heard in auscultation, often without a stethoscope. The increased intestinal activity noted at times in cases of gastroenteritis and diarrhea result in borborygmi that do not have the intensity or the episodic character of “normal borborygmi.” Borborygmi that are high-pitched and accompanied by vomiting, distension, and intestinal cramps suggest a mechanical obstruction of the small intestine and often precede complete bowel obstruction.
