D'Espine sign

D'Espine's Sign is a clinical sign in medicine that is used to detect the presence of pulmonary tuberculosis in children. It is named after the Swiss physician, Alexandre D'Espine.

History

Alexandre D'Espine (1843–1913) was a Swiss physician who first described this sign in 1886. He noticed that in children with pulmonary tuberculosis, there was an abnormal area of dullness on percussion along the vertebral column, which was later named D'Espine's sign.

Clinical Significance

D'Espine's sign is a physical examination finding that is used to detect the presence of pulmonary tuberculosis in children. It is characterized by an area of dullness on percussion along the vertebral column, extending from the seventh cervical vertebra to the twelfth thoracic vertebra. This sign is indicative of enlarged tracheobronchial lymph nodes due to tuberculosis infection.

Examination

The examination for D'Espine's sign is performed with the patient in a sitting or standing position. The examiner percusses along the vertebral column from the seventh cervical vertebra to the twelfth thoracic vertebra. An area of dullness on percussion is indicative of D'Espine's sign.

Limitations

While D'Espine's sign is a useful tool in the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in children, it is not without limitations. The sign is not specific for tuberculosis and can be present in other conditions that cause enlargement of the tracheobronchial lymph nodes. Furthermore, the sign may not be present in all children with tuberculosis.

See Also

• Pulmonary Tuberculosis
• Tuberculosis
• Alexandre D'Espine

References

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