FINAL Flashcards
Inspection of arms
Inspect both arms and hands for symmetry and size, color and texture of the skin and nail beds, venous pattern, and edema. Compare both sides.
Pulses of arms
Palpate the radial, ulnar and brachial pulses on both arms
Describe the pulse as increased (bounding), normal, diminished, or absent
Allen’s Test
have pt raise arm, occlude both radial and ulnar arteries, have patient pump fist, bring hand down and un-occlude. Should see profusion in 3-5 seconds
Persisting pallor indicates occlusion of the ulnar or radial artery
Purpose of Allen’s Test
assess the patency of the ulnar and radial arteries and the arteries of the hand
Capillary Refill
hold patient’s hand at heart level and compress the nail for 5 seconds. The amount of time required for the nail to regains its normal color is capillary refill time.
Purpose of Capillary Refill
test for assessing volume status.
What are the upper limits of normal capillary refill (at room temp)?
children & adult men: 2 sec
adult women: 3 sec
elderly: 4 sec
Where to palpate for the epitrochlear nodes?
palpate btwn the grooves of the biceps and triceps muscles, about 3 cm proximal to the medial epicondyle
Which aspect of the hands do the epitrochlear nodes drain?
Ulnar aspect
Inspection of legs
Inspect both legs and feet for their size and symmetry, color and texture of the skin and nails, hair distribution, ulceration, venous pattern or enlargement, and edema.
Inspect the great and small saphenous veins for varicosities (lying and standing).
Locate pulsations of the femoral artery
just below the inguinal ligament, midway between the anterior superior iliac spine and the symphysis pubis
Locate pulsations of the popliteal artery
the extension of the femoral artery that passes medially behind the femur, palpable just behind the knee
the patient’s knee should be flexed, with the leg relaxed. Place the fingertips of both hands so that they just meet in the midline behind the knee and press them deeply into the popliteal fossa. This is a difficult pulse to find.
Locate pulsations of the dorsalis pedis artery
just lateral to the extensor tendon of the large toe. Place three fingers across dorsum of foot to increase odds of finding
Locate pulsations of the posterior tibial artery
right behind the medial malleolus of the ankle (just up against bone)
Homan’s sign
take hands around calf and gentle squeeze
also passive dorsal flexion (take foot and bend towards calf)
if either elicit pain —> + or Homan’s sign
What does Homan’s sign test?
test for deep phlebitis
How to assess for edema
press firmly with your thumb for at least 5 seconds to check for pitting. Note the degree of pitting in millimeters
Pitting edema scale
trace (1+) = slight and rapid response
mild (2+) = 0-.6cm and 10-15 sec response
moderate (3+) = .6-1.3cm and 1-2 min response
severe (4+) = 1.3-2.5cm and 2-5 min response
Palpate the superficial inguinal nodes
includes two groups, the horizontal group lies in a chain high in the anterior thigh below the inguinal ligament
the vertical group clusters near the saphenous vein
Trendelenburg Test- how to perform
retrograde filling test
Start by examining for varicosities in legs by using tangential lighting,
Then with patient supine, elevate one leg to 90 degrees to empty it of venous blood
Occlude the superficial veins of the leg by applying a tourniquet and then have patient stand up.
looking to see if vein fills and if it does means that incompetence is deeper within thigh because superficial vein is occluded
then remove tourniquet and superficial will re-profuse
Why perform the Trendelenburg test?
to asses the competency of the superficial and deep veins of the legs
Beurger’s Test
If you note pallor, ulcers, loss of normal hair distribution, and diminished pulses, have the patient raise his or her leg to 60 degrees until maximal pallor develops (usually ~60 seconds).
What findings of Beurger’s test suggest arterial insufficiency?
Marked pallor on elevation or increased time for color to return after the legs are set down (> 10 seconds) suggests arterial insufficiency
Why perform Beurger’s test?
to assess for arterial insufficiency
Test for Coarctation of the Aorta
congenital narrowing in arotic arch that changes upper and lower circulation
feel femoral and radial pulse at the same time and feel delay in femoral pulse
Key physical exam finding for deep venous thrombosis are
pain and tenderness along the course of the major veins
unilateral pitting edema
swelling of the entire leg
calf swelling greater than 3 cm compared to the uninvolved leg
Wells criteria
assembles the more reliable signs, symptoms and risk factors into a decision rule that stratifies patients into high, medium or low probability of having a DVT. Patients with a low pretest probability can have DVT ruled out with a negative serum D-dimer. If they have a positive D-dimer they will need a compression ultrasound. Moderate and high probability Wells score should have compression ultrasound performed first.
Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) - how to perform test
- Patient should rest supine in a warm room for at least 10 minutes before testing
- Place blood pressure cuffs on both arms and ankle, then apply US gel over brachial, dorsalis pedis, and posterior tibial arteries
- Measure systolic pressures in the arms (use vascular Doppler to locate brachial pulse, inflate cuff 20 mm Hg above last audible pulse, deflate cuff slowly and record pressure at which pulse become audible, obtain 2 measures in each arm and record the avg)
- Measure systolic pressures in ankles (same technique as above)
- Calculate ABI:
Right ABI = highest right avg ankle pressure/ highest avg arm pressure ( right or left)
Left ABI = highest left avg angle pressure/highest avg arm pressure ( right or left)
What constitutes a normal versus abnormal ABI
> .9 (with a range of .9-1.3) = normal lower extremity blood flow
< .89 to > .6 = mild PAD
< .59 to > .4 = moderate PAD
< .39 = severe PAD
Who is at risk of developing PAD?
smokers over 50
diabetics over 50
patients over 70
What are preliminary things to do before beginning gyn exam?
Have patient empty her bladder completely
Wash hands
Make eye contact with pt
Inspect breasts
this step not routinely done unless patient has noticed some changes in her breast
Ask patient to pull arms back so that she tightens skin over the breast. Then ask her to move hands over hips and tighten the muscles of her chest. Have her lean forward and raise her arms above her head to observe movement of both breasts.
Inspect for changes in shape (flattening, dimpling or bumps), color (redness or vein patterns), texture (thickening, like an orange peel) or in the appearance of the nipple.
*these maneuvers may reveal dimpling not seen before
Examine supraclavicular area and axilla (wear gloves)
While patient is still seated, feel above the clavicle bilaterally for supraclavicular nodes.
Examine the axilla while the patient is still seated. Support her (L) forearm with your (L) hand. Cup the finger of your (R) hand and reach into the apex of the axilla. Bringing the fingers down over the surface of the ribs, feel for the central nodes, then anteriorly and posteriorly for the pectoral, subscapular and lateral axillary nodes.
Positioning of patient for breast exam
Ask the patient to lie down pulling out the shelf to support her legs. Have her move her (R) arm under her head. Ask her to move her (R) bent knee towards left side to center her breast on her chest.
Palpation of breasts
Use the pads of your middle three fingers in a rotary motion at 3 progressive depths to compress the tissue. Begin at the periphery of the upper outer quadrant. Move across the breast from top to bottom. There will be less and less glandular tissue and more fatty tissue toward the bottom. If the patient has presented with a complaint of nipple discharge, squeeze the nipple with thumb and forefinger to express any discharge.
Repeat process on Left breast
signal beginning of pelvic exam
Tell patient that you are going to examine the external genitalia. Let her know that you’ll be placing the back of the non-dominant hand on her thigh to signal that the exam is about to begin.
examine external genitalia
Using the index and middle finger of the non-dominant hand, separate the labia majora from the labia minora on each side, and briefly inspect the area for obvious skin lesions. Evaluate any lesions by palpation, but avoid unnecessary manipulation of the vulva, particularly the clitoris. Conclude by separating the labia minora to inspect the urethral meatus and vaginal introitus. You may point out the hymenal tag if it is visible. Drawing the fingers upward slightly will reveal the glands of the clitoris.
palpate bartholin’s glands
Explain to patient that you will now be inserting a finger very slightly into her vagina to check her Bartholin’s glands. Insert the index finger of the examining hand slightly into the vaginal introitus and briefly palpate at 5-7 o’clock between thumb and index finger.
findings for palpation of bartholin’s glands
Ordinarily, you will not feel the Bartholin’s glands unless they are inflamed and swollen, in which case they would also be tender.
DDX of swelling of Bartholin’s glands:
Bartholin’s gland cyst, abscess, adenocarcinoma
Assess for pelvic support
Ask the patient to squeeze her muscles around your inserted finger to assess muscle tone. Then withdraw your finger, separate the labia using that hand Ask the patient to “bear down.” Observe for anterior wall bulging which may indicate a cystocele and posterior wall the presence of a rectocele.
Preparing to insert the speculum
Instruct the patient you will now be inserting the speculum. Touch the patient’s thigh with the speculum first, alerting her to its temperature. Separate labia with thumb and index finger to form an entrance. You may need to modify your technique based on the anatomy of your patient’s labia, and degree on relaxation.
A few considerations before inserting the speculum
warm speculum beforehand and check degree of warmth before insertion
a small amnt of KY jelly should be used
Speculum insertion
Hold the speculum in the dominant hand, keeping it closed between your index and middle fingers. Separate the labia with your non-dominant hand. Hold the speculum at the introitus and slowly insert it into the vagina with posterior pressure at a 45 degree or less angle downward, and continue to complete insertion. Have your assistant adjust the light. Gently open speculum until the cervix is visualized. Then tighten the thumbscrew and release the handle.
What if you can’t visualize the cervix?
If the cervix is not visible when you begin opening the speculum, slightly sweep it upward and look for the cervix to come into view. If it is still not visible, withdraw the speculum and re-insert on another plane.