Kerr's sign

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Kerr's sign

Kerr's sign (pronunciation: /kɛr/), also known as Kerr's phenomenon, is a medical term used to describe a specific symptom associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm and ruptured spleen. The sign is named after the Scottish surgeon, John Kerr, who first described it in 1899.

Etymology

The term "Kerr's sign" is derived from the name of the Scottish surgeon, John Kerr, who first described this phenomenon in the medical literature. The word "sign" in this context is used to denote a specific symptom or indication of a particular medical condition.

Definition

Kerr's sign is a clinical sign characterized by the presence of referred pain in the left shoulder following a ruptured spleen or abdominal aortic aneurysm. This occurs due to the irritation of the phrenic nerve by blood in the abdominal cavity, which is then perceived as shoulder pain due to the nerve's pathway.

Related Terms

  • Abdominal aortic aneurysm: A condition characterized by the enlargement of the aorta, the main blood vessel that delivers blood from the heart to the body.
  • Ruptured spleen: A condition that occurs when the spleen, an organ located in the upper left part of the abdomen, is damaged or broken open.
  • Phrenic nerve: A nerve that originates in the neck (C3-C5) and passes down between the lung and heart to reach the diaphragm. It is important for breathing as it passes motor information to the diaphragm and receives sensory information from it.
  • Referred pain: Pain perceived at a location other than the site of the painful stimulus.

External links

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