Percussion
On percussion, you are testing mainly for pleural effusion or pneumothorax. The sound will be more tympanic if there is a pneumothorax because air will stretch the pleural membranes like a drum. If there is fluid between the pleural membranes, the percussion will be dampened and sound muffled.
Middle finger strikes the middle phalanx of the other middle finger. The sides of the chest are compared.
- dullness indicates consolidation
- hyper-resonance (as can be simulated by percussing the inflated cheek) suggests a pneumothorax (can be related to COPD or a pleural effusion)
- diaphragmatic excursion - normal is 3 to 6 cm.
Read more about this topic: Respiratory Examination
Famous quotes containing the word percussion:
“We got our new rifled muskets this morning. They are mostly old muskets, many of them used, altered from flint-lock to percussion ... but the power of the gun was fully as great as represented. The ball at one-fourth mile passed through the largest rails; at one-half mile almost the same.... I think it an excellent arm.”
—Rutherford Birchard Hayes (1822–1893)