3. INSPECTION
1. SITE- EXACT ANATOMICAL LOCATION
IMPORTANT AS SOME SWELLINGS OCCUR
IN A TYPICAL POSITION WHICH IS
DIAGNOSTIC
EXAMPLES
POST AURICULAR DERMOID-BEHIND EAR
EXTERNAL ANGULAR DERMOID –LATERAL END
OF EYE BROW
MENINGOCELE- OVER THE BACK IN MIDLINE
52. 6.VISIBLE PULSATIONS
PULSATION
A MOVEMENT OR INCREASE IN SIZE
SYNCHRONOUS WITH EACH HEART BEAT
2 TYPES
EXPANSILE PULSATIONS – SWELLINGS ARISING
FROM ARTERIES EX: AORTIC ANEURYSM ,
CAROTID BODY TUMOUR
TRANSIMITTED PULSATIONS – SWELLINGS
CLOSE TO ARTERIES
REMEMBER NOT TO TOUCH THE PATIENT
DURING INSPECTION
53. 7.VISIBLE COUGH IMPULSE
PERFORMED WHEN SWELLING IS OVER
ABDOMEN,CHEST,SPINAL CANAL OR
CRANIUM
COUGH IMPULSE
VISIBLE INCREASE IN THE SIZE OF SWELLING
SYNCHRONOUS WITH COUGH
POSITIVE IN SWELLINGS COMMUNICATING
WITH ABDOMEN,THORACIC
CAVITY,SPINAL CANAL OR CRANIAL
CAVITY
54. POSITIVE COUGH IMPULSE
HERNIA
MENINGOCELE
VARICOCELE
SAPHENA VARIX
IN CHILDREN CRYING ACTS AS COUGHING
55. 8.VISIBLE PERISTALYSIS
OBSERVED IN ABDOMINAL LUMPS AND
INGUINAL SWELLINGS
CONGENITAL HYPERTROPHIC PYLORIC
STENOSIS – VISIBLE GASTRIC
PERISTALYSIS
INGUINAL HERNIAS (ENTEROCELE)
INTESTINAL PERISTALYSIS
LUMPS DUE TO INTESTINAL MALIGNANCY
PERISTALYSIS IS SEEN
56. 9.MOVEMENT WITH
RESPIRATION
SEEN IN ABDOMINAL LUMPS
SWELLINGS ARISING FROM
STOMACH
LIVER
SPLEEN
GALLBLADDER
HEPATIC FLEXURE OF COLON
SPLENIC FLEXURE OF COLON
RENAL LUMP THOUGH NOT IN CONTACT WITH
DIAPHRAGM ,MOVES WITH RESPIRATION
57. 10.Movement with deglutition
IN CASE OF NECK SWELLINGS
SWELLINGS MOVING WITH DEGLUTITION
THYROID SWELLING
THYROGLOSSAL CYST
THYROGLOSSAL FISTULA
SUBHYOID BURSA
PRE/PARA TRACHEAL LYMPH NODES
EXTRINSIC CARCINOMA OF LARYNX
58. WHY THYROID MOVES UP WITH DEGLUTITION?
THYROID IS ENCLOSED IN PRETRACHEAL
FASCIA
PTF ATTACHES TO THYROID &CRICOID
CARTILAGES(BERRY’S LIGAMENT)
SUPERIOR CONSTRICTOR MUSCLE
CONTRACTION DURING DEGLUTITION
THESE CARTILAGES MOVE UP
ALONG WITH THESE THYROID MOVES UP
59. 11)MOVEMENT WITH TONGUE PROTRUSION
IN CASE OF MID LINE NECK SWELLINGS
EG:THYROGLOSSAL CYST &FISTULA
WHY?
ATTACHED TO FORAMEN CAECUM OF TONGUE
60. 12)PRESSURE EFFECTS
WHEN SWELLING IS PRESENT ON LIMBS
AN AXILLARY SWELLING WITH LIMB EDEMA –
LYMPHNODAL SWELLING
PARESIS – PRESSURE ON NERVES
WASTING OF MUSCLES OF DISTAL LIMB-
TRAUMATIC SWELLING(WASTING DUE TO
NON-USE/INJURY TO NERVES)
SWELLING IN NECK WITH VENOUS
ENGORGEMENT(RETROSTERNAL EXTENSION)
61. PALPATION
DEFINITE CLUE TO DIAGNOSIS
METHODICAL,FOLLOW DEFINITE ORDER
BE GENTLE
SHOULD NOT HURT THE PT.
62. 1.TEMPERATURE
IT IS AN ABSOLUTE STANDARD PRACTICE
TO TEST FOR TEMP FIRST-WHY?
BEST FELT BY BACK OF THE HAND-WHY?
INCREASED IN
INFLAMMATORY SWELLING
WELL VASCULARISED TUMOURS- SARCOMA
63. 2.TENDERNESS
PAIN DUE TO PRESSURE EXERTED OVER
THE SWELLING IS TENDERNESS
PALPATE GENTLY OVER ALL THE AREA
IT IS A SIGN
FEATURE OF
INFLAMMATORY SWELLINGS
SWELLING RELATED TO NERVES
-NEUROFIBROMA
64. 3.SIZE& SHAPE
CONFIRM VERTICAL & HORIZONTAL
DIMENSIONS
NOTE THE THIRD DIMENSION DEPTH
WHICH COULD NOT BE EXACTLY
DETERMINED BY INSPECTION
75. SLIP SIGN
*Image via Bing
TO DEFFERENTIATE BETWEEN LIPOMA
AND CYSTIC SWELLING(BOTH HAVE WELL
DEFINED ,REGULAR BORDERS)
WHEN EDGE OF A SWELLING IS PALPATED
WITH A FINGER ,IF IT SLIPS UNDER THE
FINGER,. DOES NOT YIELD TO IT , IT IS A
LIPOMA,IF IT YIELDS TO FINGER IS A CYST
77. HOW TO ASSESS CONSISTENCY
SOFT – EAR LOBULE,ALAE OF NOSE
FIRM- TIP OF NOSE,UN CONTRACTED
MUSCLE
HARD -BRIDGE OF NOSE,CONTRACTED
MUSCLE
78. SIGN OF MOULDING OR
INDENTATION
LOOK FOR THIS SIGN IN SOFT &CYSTIC
SWELLINGS
PRESS A FINGER INTO SWELLING FOR 1-2 MTS
AND RELEASE IT IF SWELLING REMAINS
INDENTED IT INDICATES PRESENCE OF
PULTACEOUS MATERIAL(PUTTY LIKE)
SEEN IN
1.SEBACYOUS CYST
2.DERMOID CYST
3.COLONIC MASS WITH FAECAL MATTER
79. PAGET’S TEST
DONE FOR SMALL SWELLINGS TO KNOW
THE CONSISTENCY(CYSTIC/SOLID)
THE CENTRE AND PERIPHERIES ARE
PALPATED WITH INDEX FINGER
CYSTIC SWELLING FEELS SOFTER AT CENTRE
THAN PARIPHERY
SOLID SWELLING FEELS FIRMER ATCENTRE
THAN PERIPHERY
80. SPECIAL TESTS
DONE IN CASE OF SOFT/CYSTIC SWELLING
7.FLUCTUATION
8.TRANSILLUMINATION
9.COUGH IMPULSE
10.REDUCIBILITY
11.COMPRESSIBILITY
IN SOLID SWELLINGS DIRECTLY PROCEED
TO TEST FOR RELATION TO OTHER
STRUCTURES
81. 7.FLUCTUATION
TRANSMISSION OF IMPULSE IN TWO
DIRECTIONS AT RIGHT ANGLES TO EACH
OTHER
IMPLIES PRSENCE OF FLUID IN THE
SWELLING
82. HOW TO ELICIT FLUCTUATION?
IF THE SWELLING IS MOBILE FIRST FIX IT OR
ASK THE ASST. TO HOLD IT
KEEP 2 INDEX FINGERS ON OPPOSITE POLES
WHEN ONE FINGER IS PRESSED THE FINGER
AT OPPOSITE END FEELS THE IMPULSE &
PASSIVELY LIFTED UP
REPEAT THE MANUVERE IN A PLANE AT RIGHT
ANGLES TO THE 1ST ONE
IF IMPULSE IS FELT IN BOTH PLANES IT IS A
POSITIVE FLUCTUATION TEST
83. LAW BEHIND FLUCTUATION!
PASCAL’S LAW
PRESSURE EXERTED TOA FLUID IS TRANSMITTED
EQUALLY IN ALL THE DIRECTIONS
*Image via Bing
84. PRINCIPLES WHILE DOING FLUCTUATION
TEST
ALWAYS PERFORM IN 2 DIRECTIONS AT
RIGHT ANGLES TO EACH OTHER
TWO FINGERS SHOULD BE KEPT AS FAR
APART AS POSSIBLE
FREELY MOBILE SWELLINGS SHOULD BE
FIXED FIRST(AS IN HYDROCELE)
SMALL SWELLINGS –WATCHING FINGER &
DISPLACING FINGER
VERY LARGE SWELLINGS MORE THAN ONE
FINGFR SHOLD BE USED
85. PSEUDO FLUCTUATION
A FALSE SENSE OF FLUCTUATION FELT IN
LARGE SOFT SWELLINGS CONTAINING NO
FLUID
SEEN IN
LARGE LIPOMA
MYXOMA
SOFT FIBROMA
VASCULAR SARCOMA
FAIL TO EXPAND IN OTHER PARTS OF A
SWELLING LIKE A TRUE FLUCTUANT
SWELLING
86. CROSS FLUCTUATION
FLUCTUATION BETWEEN TWO SEPARATE
CYSTIC SWELLINGS COMMUNICATING
WITH EACH OTHER
SEEN IN
COMPOUND PALMAR GANGLION
PSOAS ABSCESS
PLUNGING RANULA
87. 8.TRANSILLUMINATION
DEMONSTRATION OF TRANSMISSION OF
LIGHT THROUGH A SWELLING
POSITIVE IN SWELLINGS CONTAINING
CLEAR FLUID AND THIN TRANSPARENT
WALLS
NO TRANSILLUMINATION IF WALL IS
THICK, OR TURBID FLUID IS
PRESENT(BLOOD,PUS, LYMPH)
DARK ROOM , TRANSILLUMINOSCOPE
89. 9.COUGH IMPULSE
PERFORMED IN SWELLINGS LIKELY TO BE
IN CONTACT WITH ABDOMINAL
,CRANIAL ,SPINAL OR CHEST CAVITY
SWELLING IS HELD WITH FINGERS AND
PATIENT IS ASKED TO COUGH
IF THE SWELLING BECOMES TENSE OR
INCREASES IN SIZE IT IS POSITIVE COUGH
IMPULSE
IN CHILDREN CRYING ACTS AS COUGH
90. SWELLINGS WITH POSITIVE COUGH IMPULSE
IN CONTINUITY WITH ABD. CAVITY
HERNIA
ILIO-PSOAS ABSCSS
LUMBAR ABSCESS
IN CONTINUITY WITH PLEURAL CAVITY
EMPYEMA NECESSITANS
IN CONTINUITY WITH SPINAL /CRANIAL
CAVITY
SPINAL/CRANIAL MENINGOCELE
91. 10.REDUCIBILITY
INDICATION SAME AS FOR COUGH
IMPULSE
PATIENT IS ASKED TO RELAX
SWELLING IS COMPRESSED FROM ALL THE
SIDES UNIFORMLY
REDUCIBLE SWELLINGS DECREASESIN
SIZE OR COMLETELY DISAPPEAR
92. REDUCIBLE SWELLINGS
1.HERNIA
2.MENINGOCELE
3.VARICOCELE
4.SAPHENA VARIX
A REDUCIBLE SWELLING ONCE REDUCED
REAPPEARS ONLY BY STRAINING,COUGHING,
OR FORCE OF GRAVITY AS IT INVOLVES
DISPLACEMENT OF VISCERS TO AN ADJOINING
CAVITY
93. 11.COMPRESSIBILITY
WHEN PRESSURE IS APPLIED TO A
SWELLING IT DECREASES IN SIZE AND
WHEN PRESSURE IS RELEASED SWELLING
REGAINS ITS SIZE ITSELF WITH OUT ANY
EXTERNAL FACTORLIKE STRAINING OR
COUGHING
CHARECTARISTIC SIGN OF VASCULAR
HAEMANGIOMA
94. 12.PULSATILITY
WHEN FINGER IS PLACED OVER A
PULSATILE SWELLING IT RAISESWITH
EACH BEAT
TO TYPES OF PULSATIONS
TRANSMITTED PULSATIONS- SEEN IN
SWELLINGS PRESENT NEAR AN ARTERY
EX:CA STOMACH LUMP NEAR ABD.AORTA
EXPANSILE PULSATIONS-SEEN IN SWELLINGS
ARISING FROM ARTERIES
EX:AORTIC ANEURYSM
95. HOW TO DIFFERENTIATE?
TWO FINGERS ARE PLACED OVER THE
SWELLING AND FINGER MOVEMENTS ARE
NOTED
TRANSMITTED PULSATIONS – FINGERS
ARE SIMPLY LIFTED UP
EXPANSILE PULSATIONS- FINGERS ARE
LIFTED UP AND MOVE APART
96. IN AN ABDOMINAL LUMP?
KNEE ELBOW POSITION
WHEN KEPT IN KNEE ELBOW POSITION
PULSATIONS DISAPPEAR – TRANSMITTED
PULSATIONS
PULSATIONS PERSIST –EXPANSILE PULSATIONS
97. 13.FIXITY TO SKIN
SKIN PINCHED OVER DIFFERENT PARTS OF
THE SWELLING -CANNOT BE PINCHED IF
FIXED TO SKIN
SKIN IS MADE TO MOVE OVER THE
SWELLING- THE SKIN WILL NOT MOVE IF IT
IS FIXED TO SKIN
SWELLINGS ARISING FROM SKIN ARE
FIXED TO SKIN EX:SEBACEOUS CYST ,
PAPILLOMA , EPITHELIOMA
98. 14.RELATION TO SURROUNDING STRUCTURES
1)SUBCUTANEOUS TISSUE
SWELLINGS IN SUB CUTANEOUS TISSUE ARE NOT
ADHERENT TO SKIN OR UNDERLYING MUSCLE
LIPOMA-PUSHED SIDEWAYS PUCKERING IS SEEN IN
SOME PLACES – DUE PRESENCE OF FIBROUS SEPTA
2)DEEP FASCIA
SWELLING ARISING FROM DEEP FASCIA WILL NOT BE AS
MOBILE AS SUBCUTANEOUS SWELLINGS
IT IS DIFFICULT MAKE OUT FIXATION TO DEEP FASCIA
AS DEEP FASCIA CANNOT BE MADE TAUT
EVEN IF TUMOUR IS ATTACHED TO UNDERLYING DEEP
FASCIA &MUSCLE TUMOUR CAN BE MOVED SIDEWAYS
99. 3)RELATION TO MUSCLE
RELATION SHIP TO MUSCLE IS KNOWN BY
THROWING THE CONCERNED MUSCLE
INTO CONTRACTION
TUMOURS IN SUB CUTANEOUS TISSUE-
BECOME MORE PROMINENT &REMAIN MOBILE
TUMOURS ARISING FROM MUSCLE /
INCORPORATED IN MUSCLE-FIXED&IMMOBILE
TUMORS DEEP TO MUSCLE –LESS PROMINENT,
OR DISAPPEARS,DIFFICULT TO PALPATE
100. 4)SWELLING IN RELATION TO TENDON
MOVES ALONG WITH TENDON&BECOMES
FIXED WHEN MUSCLE CONTRACTS
5)IN CONNECTION WITH VESSELS
&NERVES
DO NOT MOVE ALONG VESSELS OR
NERVES BUT MOVE TO A LITTLE EXTENT
AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THEIR AXES
6)IN CONNECTION WITH BONE
IS ABSOLUTELY FIXED IRRESPECTIVE OF
MUSCLE CONTRACTION
101. PERCUSSION
LIMITED VALUE IN SWELLINGS
1.TYMPANIC NOTE
ENTEROCELE
PHARYNGOCELE
2.HYDATID THRILL
HYDATID CYST
102. AUSCULTATION
BRUIT OVER PULSATILE &VASCULAR
SWELLINGS
BRUIT
SHORT,MEDIUM PITCHED MURMUR HEARD
OVER THE SWELLING WITH EACH PULSE WAVE
EX:ANEURYSM
THYROTOXIC GOITRE
103. REGIONAL LYMPH NODES
DRAINING LYMPH NODES EXAMINED IF
INVOLVED NEXT HIGHER GROUP EXAMINED
IF THE SWELLING ITSELF IS ALYMPH NODE
EXAMINE
1.OTHER LYMPH NODAL GROUPS
2.SPLEEN
3.LIVER
TO EXCLUDE SYSTEMIC CAUSE
EXAMINE DRAINAGE AREA TO EXCLUDE INFECTION
104. PRESSURE EFFECTS
1.OVER BONE – FEEL FOR BONY EROSION
AS IN DERMOID CYST
2.IN LIMBS
DISTAL PULSES- PRESSURE OVER ARTERIES
EDEMA &DILATED VEINS – PRESSURE OVER
VEINS
PARESIS& MUSCLE WASTING – PRESSURE
OVER NERVES
MOVEMENTS OF JOINTS
105. WASTING OF THENAR MUSCLES DUE PRESSURE OVER MEDIAN NERVE
*Image via Bing
108. Question time?
WHAT IS UNIVARSAL TUMOUR?
WHAT ARE THE PROCESSESS FUSING IN
EXTERNAL ANGULAR DERMOID?
WHAT IS THE TUMOUR SHOWING
POSITIVE SLIP SIGN?
WHAT IS THE SITE AT WHICH A LIPOMA
MOST COMMONLY UNDERGOES
SARCOMATOUS CHANGE?
WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON SITE FOR
CYSTIC HYGROMA?
WHAT IS THE OTHER NAME FOR BASAL
CELL CARCINOMA?