1. 1
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM – CASE SHEET
– TUESDAY
1. Identification
2. History taking
a. CHIEF COMPLAINTS
o Chest pain
o Cough – sputum and blood
o Breathlessness (dyspnea)
o Cyanosis
o Wheezing
o Sore throat that associated with cough
Chest pain
SIQORAAASite, intensity, quality, onset, radiation, etc
Causes
o CVS
o GIT
o Respiratory
o Miscellaneous problem
CVS Causes
o MI – death to heart muscle due to lack of oxygen
o Angina pectoris – pain caused by lack of oxygen (no necrosis) (stable, unstable,
prinztemal)
o Percarditis – infection of the pericardium and inflammation of the pericardium
o Thromboembolism (PT)
o Dissecting aortic aneurysm
Aneurysm is an abnormal, permanent dilatation of a blood vessel
Most common aortic aneurysm is the descending aorta
Also the aneurysm is commonly found in the arch of the aorta
Tearing type of chest pain that radiates to the back
GIT Causes
o Esophagus problem
Inflammation – esophagitis
Spasm of esophagus
GERD – reflux disease
Gastric contents from stomach refluxing to esophagus
Esophagus carcinoma
Peptic ulcer
2. 2
o Stomach
Gastritis of the upper part of the stomach
Peptic ulcers
Respiratory Causes
o Lung parenchyma do not have nerve ending, therefore you can’t feel pain
o Any involvement pathology of pleural would lead to chest pain
o Upper Respiratory Tract
Mostly talking about the trachea
Inflammation of the trachea – trachitis but bronchioles usually involved
upper bronchie, tracheabronchitis
Site of pain upper sternum or parasternum
Intensity moderate to severe
Quality
Character sharp pain, can be burning
Onset acute
Radiation no radiation
Aggravating factor coughing (not as much) will cause more pain and
cause breathlessness, smoking
Alleviating factor coughing more alleviating factor
Associated factorbreathlessness, fever, malaise, cough
o Lower Respiratory Tract
Conditions that lead to chest pain would have pleura involvement
Causes: every pathology of the lung can lead to pain cause every
pathology involved the pleura
Pleuritis
Pleural effusion accumulation of exudates fluids
Pneumothorax, hydrothorax
Empyema
Hemothorax
pneumonia
The lower respiratory does not have any nerve endings, only the pleura
has nerve endings
Site depends on pathololgy and intensity same depends on pathology
Pluera are the coverings of the lungs visceral pleura and parietal pleura
Quality/Character sharp knife like pain
Aggravating factor pain increased during inspiration is an
important signed of pleuritis, take deep breath and if pain is
aggravating pleaura is involved
Onset can be acute, subacute or chronic
Radiation no radiation
3. 3
Alleviating factors lying on the same side as the chest pain
Association factors coughing, breathlessness
Miscellaneous Causes
o Trauma
o Musculospasms
o Anxiety
o Malingering – lying about chest pain
o Panic attacks
o Breathlessness
o Musculoskeletal problems
o Teitze’s syndrome – acute costalchondroitis (inflammation of the costal cartilage
of the ribs)- inflammation of the ribs where the sternum attaches to the ribs
o Fractured ribs
o Blunt trauma to ribs
o Exam question- pt. comes in with a cough for three days and feels pain upon
palpation of the chest. What does the pt. most likely not have
Teitze syndrome
Fractured ribs
Pleuritis
Trachitis *
Breathlessness (dyspnea)
Non painful, uncomfortable awareness of your own breathing
Cause
o Cardiovascular
o Respiratory System
o Miscellaneous conditions
CVS cause
o Basically, only left sided of the heart is involved
o Left heart failure failure of the heart to properly function; failure of the heart to
have normal cardiac outputfailure of heart to pump the blood and backs up into
the lungs
o Obstruction of the mitral valve is the most important causes
Mitral stenosis lumen decreases, narrowing of the lumen
o Mitral regurgitation two leaflets(unidirectional), pathology of leaflets, defect in
the mitral valve, some blood goes back (regurgitates)
o Congestive heart failure right hearted failure
o Also associated with pulmonary edema/congestion and pulmonary hypertension
o Paraxymal Nocturnal dyspnea (PND) sign of left heart failure
o Aortic narrowing (stenosis)
4. 4
o Stroke- volume of blood for each contraction (70-80ml)
o Normal heart rate 70 heart rates
o Cardiomyopathy (ventrical muscle problemventricle muscle doesn’t contract)
o Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy increase in size and function of heart
muscle (left side particularly) due to and obstruction of blood flow to muscle from
left side.
o Pulmonary hypertension
Respiratory cause
o COPD
Bronchiole asthma (mucus in bronchi, bronchi constriction)
Can be acute, subacute, chronic
Breathlessness and it very common during night
Onset is nocturnal
Very common during winter season seasonal variations
Hypersensitive to allergens (e.g dust, dander, pollen, cold air)
Most important sign is the present of wheeze, an abnormal
breath sound heard during expiration which is heard by
observer as well as the subject, crepitationscrackle/poping
sound at the rales
Treatment bronchiole dilators, corticosteroid
Chronic Bronchitis
Chronic inflammation of bronchi
Three months and two years
Breathlessness is progressive
Lot of secretion and severe cough and productive( things coming
out) for at least three months
Intermittent fever
More chance of superimposed infection
Most important factor is chronic smoking and air pollution
Most important cause/complication of emphysema is chronic
bronchitis
Can have wheeze but COPD (4) 1) bronchiole asthma, 2)
brochioestasis, 3) emphysema, 4) chronic bronchitis
Brochioestasis
Abnormal dilation, perfusion at the level of the alveoli
Can lead to dysnea
Empysema
Loss of elasticity, trypsinhypoxia, elasticity (elastase)
See blebs
5. 5
o Interstitial lung diseases (chronic)
Pneumoconiosis
Asbestosis
Berrylium
Coal
Sarcoidosis-affects motor system of CNS, accumulation of inflammatory
cells (granulomas)
Most important is pulmonary fibrosis
Chronic progressive dyspnea
Can be initiated by allergens air pollutions
Aggravating factors exercise
Associated factors fatigue or muscle weakness
o Pneumonia
Acute dyspnea with discharge of 3-5 days with severe cough and high
grade fever
Sputum coughing
Know definition of mycoplasmic (dry cough, walking pneumonia, atypical
bacterial) pneunia and pneumococcal pneumonia (causes hemoptysis
caused by strep pneumonia)
Causes: bacteria, fungal, viral, etc
o Pneumothorax
Tension pneumothorax
inspiration bp decreases, can lead to hypoxia and hypotension
allowing air to enter the pleural space and preventing the air from escaping
naturally
Spontaneous pneumothorax acute breathlessness and sudden with acute
pleuritis chest pain more air comes in pleural cavity
Male, young, Tall and thin people have more chance of getting
spontaneous pneumothorax because of narrow chest, so less
expansion of chest wall,
Spontaneous, no symptoms or signs
Breathlessness occur in tension and spontaneous
o Pulmonary Thromboembolism
Acute and severe breathlessness with sudden onset with severe pleuritis
chest pain
Stasis of bloodpregnancy
Post surgical patients, hospitalized patients, person who doesn’t move
around
Sudden and high grade chest pain
Chronic used of oral contraceptive pills
6. 6
Exam question. Girl lives with boyfriend. What is the most likely
cause of her to get a pulmonary thromboembolism?
Lower legs fracture
Tearing type of pain
Radiation starts in anterior part of chest and radiates to retral sterna
radiation (behind sternum)
o Left Heart Failure
Slowly progressive dyspnea
Orthopnoea – increase of dyspnea when patients lies down, blood
accumulates in lung tissue
Almost always seen in left heart failure
Paroxymal Nocturnal Dyspnea (PND) – another sign of left heart failure,
more blood into pulmonary system when sleeping, awakens a person
Miscellanous Breathlessness
Panic attack
Malingering
Metabolic acidosisketo acidosis
Anxiety neurosis
Hyperthyroidism
Thyroid toxicosis
Chronic anemia
Classification of dyspnea
Acute – less than 3 days
Spontaneous pneumothorax – air in thoracic cavity due to trauma
Pulmonary thromboembolism
Bronchiole asthma
Foreign bodies inhalation
o Children would play on playground with chalk, foods,
crayon and put in nose, etc
Trauma- chest pains, wounds, fractured ribs
Poisoning
Anaphylaxis
Lyrangitis
Acute bronchitis
Pharyngitis
Croupbronchiolitis (barking cough)
Subacute (5-7days)
Bronchiole asthma
7. 7
Pleural effusion
Pneumonia
Chronic
Chronic asthma
COPD
o Bronchiole asthma
o Bronchiectasis
o Chronic bronchitis
o Emphysema
Carcinoma
Pneumoconiosis
Chronic anemia
Congestive heart failure
Left heart failure
WEDNESDAY
Cough
History taking
o SIQORAAA
o Duration – ask for how long
o See if the cough is productive (wet) or non productive (dry)
what comes out
If sputum is it watery, purulent, mucoid, blood
How much sputum is coming out, fever, breathlessness
Infections and inflammation of upper and lower respiratory tract
Medications, chest pain, etc
Cause of productive cough
o Pharyngitis
o Brachial bronchitis
o Laryngitis
o Pneumonia
o Pleural effusion
o COPD
o Lung abscess
o Left heart failure
o Most bacterial infection there is productive cough
o Chronic-Tuberculosis
o Character
o Smoking history
8. 8
o Medication history
o Immune deficiency
o Occupation
o Associated factors breathlessness, chest pain, fever
Cough
o Dry (non productive)
Early state of viral infections
Allergic conditions
Atypical pneumonia Mycoplasma/PCP lead to dry cough
ACE inhibitors
COPD
o Wet
o Exam question: pt has a cough. Upon history taking, you find out that he is taking
antihypertensive meds. What is your next move
Switch to beta blocker
Switch to ace inhibitory
Switch to lostartin
Switch to cough drops and an antibacterial
Type of sputum for productive cough
o Watery sputum
Allergies
Infections
o Purulent Sputum
Bacterial infections such as TB, pneumonia
Lung abscess
Volume of sputum for purulent sputum
Cup full of sputum per day of sputum lot
o TB
o Bronchiestasis
o Lung abscess
o Cystic Fibrosis chromosome 7
Spoon per day of sputum little
If there is blood
o Associated factors
Cough with chest pain, Fever pneumonia
Breathlessness can be infections or something else
Cough associated with hoarseness of voice laryngitis
Cough association with hawking (barking) important sign of croup,
laryngobranchitis
Cough associated with cachexia carcinoma and auto immune disease
9. 9
Cough associated with fatigue and muscle weakeness Pneumoconiosis
and autoimmune disease
o Drug history that lead to cough
ACE inhibitors
AT-1 inhibitors
Use Lorsatan to replace these drugs
Hemoptysis
Exam question: what does hemoptysis (coughing bloodbright red) have that
hematemesis GIT (vomiting bloodbrown blood) doesn’t have?
o Bright red frothy blood?
o Dark brown blood ?
o Acidic pH?
o More than one of the above?
Coughing up blood
Bright red color (color of blood)
Presence of air bubbles
Alkaline pH
Cause
o Respiratory
Infections
Severe pneumonia
o Fungal pneumonia have more chance leading to hemoptysis
o Especially if immunocompromised
parasitic
Lung abscess
TB
Pneumococcal pneumonia
Trauma
Foreign bodies
Blunt trauma
Any types of wound
Fracture ribs
Neoplasm
o Primary
o Secondary
o All neoplasm can lead to hemoptysis
Vascular conditions
Vasculitis – inflammation of blood vessels
10. 10
o Good pasture syndrome-automimmune (ab target the
good pasture antigen) involves lung tissue, pulmonary
capillarieshemmorrage of lungs
o Disorder of clotting system
o Kawasaki disease-Mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome,
autoimmune necrosis of medium sized vessels vasculitis
attacked by
o Wegener’s Granulomatosisformation of granuloma,
vasculitis of lungs and kidneys, autoimmune attack by an
abnormal type of circulating antibody termed ANCAs
(antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies) against small and
medium-size blood vessels
o SLE
o Takawas arthritis
Drugs
Heparin
Anticogulants
Thrombolytics
Interstitial lung diease
Pneumoconiosis
Sarcodoisis
Cystic fibrosis
Bronchiectasis
o Cardiovascular
Mitral Stenosis
Left heart failure
Aortic stenosis
Mitral regurgitation
Dissecting aortic aneurysm
AV fistula
Hematemesis
Vomiting blood
Brown colored blood
Absence of air bubbles
Acid pH
Blood contains food particles
11. 11
WHEEZE
Abnormal breath sounds that do not need to hear with a stethoscope
Only sound that can be heard by the subject and observer
Expiration breath sound, not heard during inspiration
Cause
o Bronchiole asthma
o Bronchioestasis
o Emphysema
o Chronic bronchitis
o Left heart failure
Wheeze heard in left heart failure is cardiac asthma
o Othoponeapostural breathing increase in breathlessness (SOB) when
laying down increase fluid (blood) in lung tissue
o Paroxysyml Nocturnal Dyspnea (PND) sudden, severe shortness of breath
at night that awakens a person from sleepmore fluid (blood) in pulmonary
circulation (causes cough (blood) with wheezeing)
History of past illness
Past episodes in the past-episodes of previous history (breathlessness before)
History of present illness
Medical history (ask and document)
o Bronchiole asthma
o Tuberculosis
o Hypertension
o Ischemic heart disease
o Epilepsy
o CHF
o Ischemia
Surgical history
o Post surgical
o Type of surgery that was done
o When it was done and why it was done
If female patient take Gynecology and Obstetric history
o Clots-thromboembolism
o Oral contraceptive pillsthromboembolism
o 32/3 days
o Obstetric (pregnancy)
GPLAD
Child hood history
12. 12
o Measles
o Chicken pox
o Small pox
o Mump
Immunization history
Family history
Auto immune disease
o SLE
o Sarcoidosis
Epilepsy
Hypertension
Carcinoma
Breast, prostate
Cyanotic congenital heart disease
Cystic fibrosis
TBcontagious
Hemophilia
Drug history
Which drugs, dosage and duration
Route of administration
Any changes in dosage of drug
Bronchiole asthma patient on HTN beta blockers C/I causes
bronchoconstriction/spasm so does/ corticosteroids (causes breathlessness)
HTN – ace inhibitors
o C/I cough, nephrotoxicity (duration is a week, taken ace inhibitor for HTN switch
to losartan (ARP) no cough as C/I
HTN: losartan
o Angiotensin II antagonists
Oral contraceptives
Anaphylaxis
Allergy history
Allergic to dust, pollen, dander, shellfish
Drug allergies
Food allergies
Social history
13. 13
Occupation
o Pneumoconiosis miners
o Carcinoma
o Mesothelioma
Smoking
o Pak years: how many packs per day
Alcohol
o How much
o Laryngeal carcinoma is more prominent in alcohol and smoking
Recreation Drugs
o Marijuana, cocaine
o Route of administration- more chances of thrombus embolism, Hepatitis B
o Barbiturates lead to respiratory depression
o Oral contraceptives thrombo embolism
Sexual history
o Are you sexually active
o Sexual preference
o How many partners
o Safety measures used during sex
General Examination
Build of the patient
Nutritional status
Mental status of patient
o Loot at the response the patient gives you, if the patient is alert then should
answer your questions correctly and quickly
Access level of consciousness of patient
Anemia – look at the conjunctiva, nail beds, lab check blood normal red blood cell
count = 4-7 millions per cubic meter, white blood cells = 7-11 thousands
Cyanosis = bluish discoloration of the skin and mucous membranes
o Important sign of cyanosis is increased in pCO2 level. Normal pCO2 is 40 mmHg
(35-45mmHg). Normal pO2 is 100 mm Hg (76-96 mmHg)
o Two types
Peripheral – pO2 level are either normal, if there is a little decrease in
pO2 then it is okay, increase in pCO2
Look for finger nail, ear, nose
Causes
o Cold temperature, frost bites
o Hypovolemia
14. 14
o Vasculitis – peripheral circulation
Central – pO2 level are decrease, increase in pCO2
Look at the tip of the tongue (mucous membrane)
Cause –(lung and heart system)
o Respiratory
Severe COPD
Severe pneumonia
o Cardiovascular
Cyanotic congential heart disease (Left to right
shunt)
Teratology of fallot
Truncus arteriosus
Transposition of great vessels
How can you differentiate cardiovascular from respiratory causes
o If a patient have CVS give them oxygen no improve in
conditions
o If a patient have respiratory cause, give them oxygen big
improvement (bluish discoloration goes away)
Exam question- pt. had cyanosis. You have them oxygen and the blue
discoloration started to go away. What was most likely the cause
Teratology of fallot
Truncus arteriosis
More than one of the above
Severe COPD
In both the CO2 level are increased.
Clubbing = exaggeration of the angle between nail and nail bed, put two nails
together and if there is a space that is normal and if not then there is clubbing
o Loss of angle between nail and nail bed
o Make the patient put thumb together and look for space between the thumbs. If
the is space normal
o What lead to clubbing
Chronic hypoxemia
Loss of angle is due to chronic hypoxia
o Causes
CVS
Cyanotic congenital heart diease
Infective endocarditis
Respiratory
Bronchiogenic carcinoma**
COPD
15. 15
***Bronchiestasis*
Cystic fibrosis****
Chronic lung abscess
Mesothelioma
Empysemea***
Bronchiole asthma*****
GIT
Ulcerative colitis
Cirrhosisdestruction of liver architecture (tria (hepatic artery,
portal vein, bile duct)
Crohn’s disease
Sclerosis
Inflammatory bowel disease
Clubbing and cyanosis are sign of respiratory distress
Exam question – which one is a cause of clubbing.
Taking Vital Data
Blood pressure
Temperature
Pulse rate
Respiratory rate
Before the Systemic Examination – look for sign of respiratory distress
Exam question
o Which is not a sign of respiratory distress
Cyanosis
Clubbing
Trachea position
Wheeze
***Anemia
1st
look for Respiratory rate (normal 14-22)
o Hyperventilation – increase in respiratory rates
2nd
is Cyanosis (see above)
o Increase in pCO2 levels
o pO2100, pCO2 40 normal
o Peripheral –bluish coloration of extremeties, slight decrease in PO2 levels
o Central-mucous membranes (tip of the tongue), reduction in PO2 levels
3rd
Clubbing
16. 16
5th
Sign of the neck – look at sternocleidomastoid (abnormal (prominence) contraction of
the sternocleidomastoid)
o Starts from the sternum and goes to the mastoid
o Accessory respiratory muscles
o If stenocleidomastoid is prominent even when not working hard sign of
respiratory distress
6th
Position of trachea
o Normal position is in midline
o Trachea deviate to one side pathology that would lead to respiratory distress
(deviation to either sides)
o Mediastinum shifts with the trachea
4th
sign is the Presence of audible stridor or wheeze
o Wheeze is an expiratory sound
Abnormal breath sound that has a musical note
Only sound that can be heard by the subject and observer
o Stridor is an inspiratory sound (abnormal breath sound heard when inspiring)
Air passing through a partial obstructed tube (narrowing of upper air
ways)
Causes
Upper respiratory
Anaphylaxis
Epiglottis
Systemic Examination
Inspection
Palpation
Percussion
Ausculation
Monday 9-17-12
EXAMINATION OF POSTERIOR CHEST WALL
Best position is the sitting position with his hands in front of his chest and hands over his
opposite shoulder (crossed arms over chest on opposite shoulders) – scapula depressed
laterally, more surface area, increase the lung field
Tell patient to take in a breath
Inspection
17. 17
1. Shape of chest wall
Use your eyes to look for the shape of the chest. Normal shape of the chest is
elliptical. It’s have two diameter
o Transverse diameter – if transverse is more than anterior posterior diameter =
normal chest wall (one lateral side to the other lateral side)
o Anterior posterior diameter (from anterior to posterior)
Abnormality of the chest wall
o Barrel chest wall
Anterior posterior and transverse diameter is approximately the same.
Increase anterior posterior because of increase in compliance
Causes (COPD) (expiration problem air (pockets) stays in chest wall),
increase in lung compliance (volume/pressure)
Chronic bronchial asthma
Chronic emphysema
Bronchiolestasis –irreversible dilation of bronchial tree
Chronic bronchitis
o Pigeon chest = pectus carinatum
Chest with shape of a pigeon = sternum is protruding. Abnormal
protruding of the cartilage sternum
Abnormal increase in anterior posterior diameter so therefore anterior
posterior and transverse diameter are approximately the same
Causes
COPD
Usually in pre pubertal boy (10-14 yrs)
Post surgical after heart surgery
Children (normal 0-2.5yrs)
Bone congenital abnormalities
o Marfans Syndrome
o Trisomy 21 (Downs)
o Osterogenic imperfect (Type 1 collagen)-AD but
sporadic
Can be associated with trisonomy-18 (Edwards) and tri-21,
osteomalacia
More chance of mitral valve prolapsed
o Funnel Chest = pectus excavatum
Posterior displaced lower part of the sternum
Broad upper chest wall with a thin lower chest wall. Lower part of the
sternum is depressed. Once depression of lower part of sternum, the
rib cage get narrow
Causes
18. 18
Congenital problem (lower part of the sternum is displaced
posteriorly)
Ricketts
Can be associated with mitral valve prolapsed and Turner’s syndrome
o Flail Chest
Seen in severe trauma to chest wall (ex. Multiple Fractured rib)
Deflation during inspiration
Inflation during expiration
These are known as paradoxical movements = due to change in
internal pressure.
Complication of flail chest = pneumothorax
2. Look for deformities in the chest wall that leads to assymetry
Swelling # of breast, # of nipples lesions of chest wall, spine
Abnormal spine---rib pump-scoliosis
Ant post curvatture-thyphosis
largosis-lumbar motor
Sinus crack-bathing from interior to exterior-causes include severe Bacteria infection
viral infection eg TB-Actinomycetes (bact)
o Kyphosis – anterior displacement of the spine
o Scoliosis – lateral displacement of the spine
o Swelling or outgrowth on one side of the chest wall
o Lordosis-inward curvature of vertebral column
3. Look for abnormal retraction of interscapular muscles = sign of respiratory
distress (pt is probably using accessory muscles if contracting, ex. using
sternocleidomastoid)
o If someone have respiratory distress they would use the interscapular muscles
a lot. Therefore look for abnormal retraction of interscapular muscle
4. Look for chest expansion
o Bilateral respiratory movements
o Compare chest expansion with right and left
o During inspiration = expansion of chest wall
o During expiration = deflation of chest wall
o See of the expansion of the chest is symmetrical with both sides
o Abnormality = asymmetrical (decrease expansion in one side)
Cause
Any pathology that would lead to decrease in lung capacity
(volume) = lung obstruction. Example, lung effusion
Pleura effusion
atelectasis = lung abscess
19. 19
exam – know which side is affected if there is right sided
decreased expansion, or left sided expansion.
right sided pleural effusion leads to left sided expansion
Asymmetrical chest expansion is abnormal. The abnormal side
expands less and lags behind the normal side. Any form of
unilateral lung or pleural disease can cause asymmetry of
chest expansion
Let us say that the patient has decreased chest expansion on
right side. Now that we know the abnormal side is right, with
the mediastinum shifted to left, then it would mean a pushing
lesion from right. The pushing lesions are pneumothorax,
pleural effusion and large mass. The next step will help us
narrow down those possibilities.
5. Look at position of trachea
Palpation
Aim of palpation is to confirmed inspection findings
Use your hands = palms, fingers
Abnormalities
1st Shape of the chest: 2nd chest deformities
Swelling of chest wall (but can be used for any type of swelling, not only for chest wall)
o 2nd
Size of swelling, have an approximate idea of how big it is, ex 2 cm
o 1st
Location of swelling (use anatomical landmarks); be precise as possible
Ex. Right anterior chest – can be clavicle, sternum, ribs,
o 3rd
Shape of the swelling
Round
Square
Irregular
o 4th
Consistency of swelling
How does it feel when you feel the swelling
Ex. Soft = fat cells lipoma
Firm dermoid cyst
Hard Calcification and sclerosis
o 5th
Look for punctum = look like a mole (mole discoloration)
20. 20
Punctum on swelling = sebaceous cyst
o 7th
Inflammatory signs
Tenderness, pain, warmness, swelling,
o Does the swelling have any discharge
Purely = abscess
o 6th
Mobility of swelling
Use two fingers, thumb and index and try to move in all directions
If its benign = no fixation
if its fixed (attachment to underlying surface) = tumors/carcinoma
o 8th
Sinus tracts on chest wall
Opening from interior to the exterior
Two important causes relate to chest wall
Complication of tuberculosis (opening on chest wall)
Chlamydia infections (actinomycetes)
Look for any discharge coming out of it, if there is discharge, take a swab
and send it to laboratory
3rd Tenderness on chest wall
o No pain and when one touches chest wall u get pain
=tendernessinflammation
o If you palpate a rib and you get tenderness = fracture ribs
o Palpate and get pain and tenderness between ribs (intercostals space) = pleuritis
o Tietze’s syndrome = costal condritis (close to sternum)
o Muscle spasm
o
4th Chest expansion Respiratory movements or chest expansion
Always compare right and left – both should be expand symmetrically
If there is a decrease expansion in one side
Any respiratory pathology that reduce chest expansion on one side
(that side that is reduced has the problem) (ex. Pleural effusion,
lung abscess, hydrothorax)
Lung collapse
Absence of lung expansion of the side that is collapsed
Atelectasis – decreased or absent air in the entire or part of a lung.
o If atelectasis (lung collapse) you probably won’t feel
anything = absence of vibration/respiratory expansion
absence
5th Tactile or vocal fremitus
Make patient speak (say 99 or 123)
Your epiglottis works, vocal words
21. 21
Speech apparatus
Sound waves that start from larynx go to nasopharynx through
respiratory tree trachea bronchioles chest wall
By telling the patient to say something, you can feel the vibration =
If there is no obstruction
o If obstruction there will be decreased vibration, ex
pneumonia, pleaural effusion (due to obstruction)
o If atelectasis (lung collapse) you probably won’t feel
anything = absence of vibration/respiratory expansion
absence
Compare the right and left using ulna surface of palm (pinky), tell
patient to say numbers and feel
– TUESDAY 9-18-12
Percussion-if ur percussion is solid liquid or gas
Use both middle fingers (interphalangeal joint), movement should be at the wrist
Two steps
1. Percussion the whole lung field and hear the percussion notes as normal breathing
a. 4 types of percussion notes
i. Resonance – where there is air as a medium normal lung field
1. If no obstruction and contains airresonance
ii. Dull note – where there is solid or liquid
1. Examples = pleural effusion, hydrothorax, lung abscess,
pneumonia, tumor
iii. Hyperresonance – more than normal amount of air in the lungs; too much
gas
iv. Examples = Pneumothorax, emphysema
v. Tympani – when percussed on airway with a lot of pressure/volume
1. Example = Tuberculosis, some pneumothorax. Only seen in some
case of tuberculosis
2. Best place is abdomen in stomach, air bubble under extreme
pressure
3. Drumlike sound
b. Exam question
i. Upon palpation, you find an 8 cm mass what note is heard
1. Mass is too deep to hear the note
2. Dull
3. Resonance
22. 22
4. Tympany
5. hyperresonance
c. Each percussion notes have three characters
i. Duration
ii. Pitch-
iii. Intensity-
Intensity Pitch Duration
Dull MEDIUM MEDIUM MEDIUM
Resonance LOUD LOW HIGH-LONG
Hyperresonance LOUDER LOWER HIGH-LONGER
Typani HIGH (LOUD) HIGH DEPEND on the
tube(short
airway-short)
If intensity is lower on one side there is still pathology, even if there is resonance on both sides.
2. Second step in percussion = diaphragmatic excursion (diaghram goes down on
inspiration)
a. Tell patient to take a deep breath and then exhale and keep it in expiration mode
b. Start on the middle of the scapula and go down to the diaphragm – goes from
resonance to dull
c. Start from resonance and go till you get a dull notes = level of diaphragm during
expiration
d. Do the same for inspiration mode
e. Marked the distance = 2 cm is normal
f. Greater than 2 cm = diaphragm is not contracting fully or completely. The
pathology where the lung capacity is low
i. Example = pleural effusion, pneumonia
g. Compare the level of diaphragm on both sides. The level of diaphragm of both
side should be the same = pathology of higher diaphram
i. If the level of diaphragm is high on one side
1. Atelectasis, pleural effusion, something wrong with the
diaphragm., something taking up space in lung cavity
2. Intervation-phrenic nerve
3. Congenital diaghram
h. Dullness should be the same on the same (both) side
i. Low diaghram is normal
Organ and percussion surface should be less than 6cm
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Auscultation (breath sounds, adventitious, transmitted)
i. Breath sounds
ii. Vesicular breath sounds (low pitch)
1. Inspiration is longer than expiration (less pressure) without gap.
Heard all over the back and lung fields
2. If u hear bronchial breath sounds, some path that obstructs air way,
and narrows air way, pneumonia
iii. Bronchial (high pitch)
1. Heard where you have bronchi, over the upper sternum
2. Heard on the bronchi only (narrower)
3. Expiration is longer than inspiration and gap is present
iv. Bronchovesicular (intermediate) sternal angle
1. Inspiration and expiration is the same without a gap
2. Expiration may be longer but there shouldn’t be a gap
3. Seen at the 1st and 2nd intercostal space and the anterior chest
v. Tracheal (high pitch)
1. Inspiration and expiration are equal but there should be a big gap
2. Place stethoscope on trachea
3. Inspiration could be longer
vi. Auscultate with diaphragm and compare one side with the opposite side
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vii. Look for the type of breath sound and the intesnsity of the breath sound
viii. If intensity is decreased on one side, there is a pathology on that side. Ex-
pleural effusion, lung abscess
ix. Adventious breath sounds
1. Crackles/Rales
a. Discontinuous breath sounds (heard without sounds)
b. Duration = 3-5milliseconds or 15-30 milliseconds
i. Bronchiectasis – post…
ii. Deflated airways that tries to open
c. Pitch
d. Creaking cracking, popping quality
i. FINE (soft in nature) high pitch 5-10 milliseconds
1. Parenchyma of lungs, pulmonary fibrosis,
pneumonia
ii. Coarse (loud) low pitch 30-40 milliseconds
1. Bronchiectasis post…
iii. Heard in inspiratory
1. Early inspiratory crackle
a. Bronchial asthma
b. Chronic bronchitis
2. Middle one third mid inspiratory crackle
3. Late inspiratory crackle (lower lobes)
a. Lung Fibrosis
b. Left heart failure
4. PAN inspiratory crackle-heard throughout
inspiratory
iv. Heard in expiratory (bronchiectasis)
1. Early expiratory crackle
2. Middle expiratory crackle
3. Late expiratory crackle
4. PAN expiratory
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2. Wheeze – high pitched! Continuous breath sound, character is
musical
a. Abnormal breath sound, heard during late inspiration or
early expiratory (sound during expiratory mostly)
i. Asthma
ii. Emphysema
iii. Bronchciestatisis
iv. all 4 COPD’s – chronic bronchitis, you’ll hear more
crackles than wheeze
v. Left heart failurecardiac asthma
3. Rhonchi – low pitched! Continuous but low pitch. where there are
large airway secretions. Charactersnoring quality.
4. Stridor, heard during inspirations, where there are obstruction of
upper air ways.
a. Pharyngitis
b. Anaphylaxis-edema in larynx
c. Crouplarynx tracheobronchitis
d. Laryngitis
5. Pleural rub = friction rub, sound heard on surface rub
a. Parietal and visceral pleura rub togetherfriction
b. Pleural effusion
c. Something between the pleura or fluid accumulation
i. Pleuritis best example
Transmitted-
Make patient speak and listen to sound transmission of sound waves from
respiratory system to surface area.
Normal lung tissue filters high pitch sounds
o Only low pitch sounds come to surface
1. Bronchophony- (+) get loud and clear 99
a. Ask pt to say 99 or 123 and listen to sounds
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b. Should only hear low pitch sounds, (muffled 99) is normal
c. If abnormal, you get high pitch clear 99
d. Consolidation phase in Lobar pneumonia, bronchial pneumonia
2. Egophony-
a. Ask patient to say eeeeeeeeee
b. If normal muffled eeeeeeeee
c. Pathology is involved eeee becomes loud aaayy
d. Consolidation phase in Lobar pneumonia
3. Whispering pectoriloquoy
a. Tell pt to whisper 123 or 99
b.
c. Normal u don’t hear nothing
d. If whispers 99 u can hear 99 that’s abnormal
e. Consolidation phase in Lobar pneumonia
4. Anterior chest
a. From above the 2nd intercostal space and below 5th intercostals can hear the same on
both sides
b. You can chest both sides
c. Anterior chest
i. During inspection, when pt. inspires, add the position of the trachea
ii. Trachea should be at the midline
iii. Confirm during palpation. = traits method. = use three fingers. 2 on
sternoclaviculare, feel tracheal rings. Anterior most part are most prominent.
Come down feeling the rings. Check the two distances from the midpoint
iv. Tracheal deviation = mediastinal shift.
v. Trachea towards the rights = pathology of right or left lung. Right lung =
atelectasis= deviation of trachea of the same sided lesion, everything else is
towards the opposite side
vi. Trailes procedure
27. 27
1. Use middle three fingers, sit up straight, place two out of three on
sternoclavicule prominence and then make sure the there is same
amount of space between the two fingers
-site of more negative pressure trachea deviates towards that side
-pleural effusion on right side, which side will trachea deviate
towards the left, increase pressure on the right side and lower on the
left side
Pleuaral effusion, hydrothorax, if increase pressure on one side
trachea deviates toward the other
Atelectacissame side