9.13.2012

Hypoparathyroidism, The Signs

Hypoparathyroidism. It is on the NCCPA's list of diagnoses on the PANCE exam. Two signs associated with hypoparathyroidism are Chvostek's and Trousseau's Signs. Chvostek's sign is a twitching of facial muscles in response to tapping over the area of the facial nerve. The Trousseau's sign is hand/finger spasm that results from ischemia, which can be induced by pressure applied to the upper arm from an inflated BP cuff.

As I was looking through this week's NEJM email I came across and article with videos of each of these signs. Watch it! Once you see it, you won't forget it. I would also read the case, it is very short. That plus visualizing the "signs" will help it stick.







Photo source: http://www.medicinenet.com/hypoparathyroidism/page2.htm
Source: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMicm1110569?query=TOC

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