Saturday, October 8, 2011

History taking and PE for a lump

History taking:
1. When  was the lump first noticed?
2. What made the patient notice the lump?
3. What are the symptoms of the lump?
4. Has the lump changed since it was first noticed?
5. Does the lump eber disappear?
6. Has the patient ever had any other lumps?
7. What does the patient think caused the lump?

Physical Examination:
1. Local examination
  • site
  • size
  • shape
  • surface
  • depth
  • colour
  • temperature
  • tenderness
  • edge
  • composition
    • consistency
    • fluid thrill
    • fluctuation
    • transluscence
    • resonance
    • pulsatility
    • compressibility
    • bruit
  • reducibility
  • relations to surroundings structures - mobility/fixity
  • regional lymph glands
  • state oflocal tissues
    • arteries
    • nerves
    • bones and joints
*words in yellow = it's either solid, fluid or gas
*words in red = vascular

resource: BROWSE's introduction to The Symptoms and Signs of Surgical Disease
               page 29, 30