Long Bone Auscultation

[SpotsyMedic]

I found a really interesting article on this by Kelly Grayson, and wondered if any of the rest of you had ever heard of this, or had used it in the field...

http://www.ems1.com/ems-products/Pat...cultated-What/

Sounds logical... I can't wait to try it out. :)

[wvditchdoc]

Been there, done that. Works well when performed properly....

[FF/EMTP1317]

Interesting.

[scribble]

Cool! Why have I never heard of this before?

[fishy]

Cool! Why have I never heard of this before?

Me either. I feel a little dumb right now. Sounds pretty cool! Also I'd like to see the look on the surgeons face next time I roll in with an "auscultated" femur fracture :)

[medic pathetic]

This is pretty cool!

[kojoff]

Never thought of it! I may try it next time I get a chance!

[Medic_QT]

I can just see my boyfriend's face (who is also a medic, and I know has NEVER heard of this)..


"I'mma try something crazy, but I gotta know baseline..."


*places stethoscope on leg and knocks, giggling after each knock*


I am going to get the craziest look, and then after I explain--


"This is why you're on the box, and I'm just a big dumb truckie who smashes things." :o)

[SpotsyMedic]

Just got off a call, and had a chance to use this technique... and DAMN SAM, it WORKS! LOLOL!!!

It was awesome...

Pt. was a 74 yo F w/osteo who was distracted and missed a single step down into a living room... fell, and was screaming in pain on our arrival. She rated it a "20/10," and was already on percoset for back pain. R leg was shortened and rotated laterally. I initially suspected hip, but she pointed mid-thigh... I doubted that a ground-level fall could produce a Femur fx, but thought this would be a great test of this technique.

I pulled out my digital amplified scope, turned it up, explained what I was going to do, then listened over the pubic symphasis, while I tapped on both the R and L knees... L knee sounded strong and clear... "tap, tap, tap." R knee was muffled and distant.

Immediately pulled traction on her R leg (with immediate pain relief), and placed her in a Hare traction splint. She reported after placing her in the Hare that her pain went from a 20/10, to an "8/10." :) Another pretty good sign that it was a Femur.

Anyway, this technique WORKS.. Try it out on your crew/family and get a feel for what it's supposed to sound like... then you'll notice the difference when you get on-scene. :)

[GaHazMedic]

Just got off a call, and had a chance to use this technique... and DAMN SAM, it WORKS! LOLOL!!!

It was awesome...

Pt. was a 74 yo F w/osteo who was distracted and missed a single step down into a living room... fell, and was screaming in pain on our arrival. She rated it a "20/10," and was already on percoset for back pain. R leg was shortened and rotated laterally. I initially suspected hip, but she pointed mid-thigh... I doubted that a ground-level fall could produce a Femur fx, but thought this would be a great test of this technique.

I pulled out my digital amplified scope, turned it up, explained what I was going to do, then listened over the pubic symphasis, while I tapped on both the R and L knees... L knee sounded strong and clear... "tap, tap, tap." R knee was muffled and distant.

Immediately pulled traction on her R leg (with immediate pain relief), and placed her in a Hare traction splint. She reported after placing her in the Hare that her pain went from a 20/10, to an "8/10." :) Another pretty good sign that it was a Femur.

Anyway, this technique WORKS.. Try it out on your crew/family and get a feel for what it's supposed to sound like... then you'll notice the difference when you get on-scene. :)

Just a thought, but wouldn't a fx hip produce identical results if auscultated there. You would have to check each leg individually at the hip to tell if it is in fact a femur and not a hip.