Thursday, December 31, 2015

Hoover's sign mnemonic

What is Hoover's sign?
The paradoxical inspiratory indrawing of the lateral rib margin is known as Hoovers sign. In simple words, it is the inspiratory retraction of the lower intercostal spaces.

What causes Hoover's sign?
It is due to direct traction on the lateral rib margins by the flattened diaphragm.

Normally, the costal margin moves very little during regular breathing, but, if it does, it moves outward and upward. In patients with obstructive airway disease there is a higher tendency for it to move paradoxically inwards.

Mnemonic: The ribs hovers inwards in hoovers sign. (Hovering? - Hoover IN!)

In which conditions is Hoover's sign seen in?
Hoover's sign is a frequent finding in COPD, and the frequency increases with severity. The sign can also be present in patients with congestive heart failure, asthma, severe pneumonia (especially in children), bronchiolitis, as well as seen unilaterally in diaphragmatic paralysis, pleural effusion and pneumothorax.

That's all!

-IkaN

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