Critical Clinical Observation DSA Flashcards
How do you identify your dominant eye? Why is this important?
If you stare at something with both eyes, close one eye, and the object stays in place, then that is your dominant eye.
Important in order to assess symmetry
What are the 3 basic body types?
Mesomorphic, Ectomorphic, and Endomorphic
What are the 5 colors that can be seen with skin/mucous membranes?
Pale, Redness (erythema), Yellow (jaundice), Blue (cyanosis), and black (necrosis)
What are some landmarks on the anterior view of your head in order to test for symmetry?
Eye level, ear level, and nose/nare symmetry
What makes a mesomorphic body type?
A muscular or sturdy body build (the average guy) with mid-ranges of ROM and is characterized by relative prominence of structures developed from the embryonic mesoderm (e.g. Harrison Ford from back in the day)
What makes an ectomorphic body type?
Thin body build that has a long and linear frame (aka tall and lean) that tend to have a higher ROM and are characterized by relative prominence of structures from embryonic ectoderm (e.g. Scottie Pippen)
What makes an endomorphic body type?
A heavy (fat) body build (obese/increased fatty tissue), that tend to have a lower ROM and are characterized by relative prominence of structures developed from embryonic endoderm (e.g. Howard Taft)
What can paleness POTENTIALLY indicate?
Anemia
What can erythema potentially indicate?
Inflammation
What can jaundice potentially indicate?
Cirrhosis/liver failure
What can cyanosis to the fingertips/toes potentially indicate? What if you add blue lips and a child crying/eating?
Reynaud’s disease
Tetralogy of Fallot
What are the ABCDE’s of skin lesions?
Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter, and Evolution
What kind of features can you observe for skin other than color?
Lesions, scars, tattoos, and piercings
Why do you compare right from left?
To check for symmetry, height changes/differences, or any deviation from midline
What factors create asymmetry?
Bone deformity, joint deformity, kyphoscoliosis, dress, occupation, mental attitude, habit, sacral base unleveling, lower extremity defects, or somatic dysfunction
What are some landmarks for the anterior view on your upper extremities?
Acromion height, angles of the clavicles, carriage of arms, and finger tips length compared to the iliac crests
What are some landmarks for the anterior view below the shoulders?
Angle of rib cage, umbilicus, crest of ilium, greater trochanter levels, upper leg, lower leg, patellar alignment, and medial/lateral malleoli
What are some landmarks from the posterior view on the upper half of your body?
Carriage of the head, shoulder level (scapular spine, scapula angle, or medial scapular border), arm carriage, or spinous process alignment/deviation from the midline
What are some landmarks on the posterior view on the lower half of the body?
Iliac crest heights, PSIS, greater trochanter, gluteal line, upper leg symmetry, popliteal line/space, Achilles’ tendon, medial/lateral malleoli
What are some landmarks from the lateral view?
External auditory canal, acromion process, greater trochanter, anterior medial malleolus
In terms of spinal curvatures, cervical and lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis
