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American Journal of Obstetrics and... Nov 2018Myofascial pain is characterized by the presence of trigger points, tenderness to palpation, and local or referred pain, and commonly involves the pelvic floor muscles...
BACKGROUND
Myofascial pain is characterized by the presence of trigger points, tenderness to palpation, and local or referred pain, and commonly involves the pelvic floor muscles in men and women. Pelvic floor myofascial pain in the absence of local or referred pain has also been observed in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms, and we have found that many patients report an improvement in these symptoms after receiving myofascial-targeted pelvic floor physical therapy.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to systematically review the literature for examination techniques used to assess pelvic floor myofascial pain in women.
STUDY DESIGN
We performed a systematic literature search using strategies for the concepts of pelvic floor disorders, myofascial pain, and diagnosis in Ovid MEDLINE 1946-, Embase 1947-, Scopus 1960-, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Articles were screened by 3 authors and included if they contained a description of a pelvic myofascial physical examination.
RESULTS
In all, 55 studies met our inclusion criteria. Overall, examination components varied significantly among the included studies and were frequently undefined. A consensus examination guideline was developed based on the available data and includes use of a single digit (62%, 34/55) to perform transvaginal palpation (75%, 41/55) of the levator ani (87%, 48/55) and obturator internus (45%, 25/55) muscles with a patient-reported scale to assess the level of pain to palpation (51%, 28/55).
CONCLUSION
Physical examination methods to evaluate pelvic musculature for presence of myofascial pain varied significantly and were often undefined. Given the known role of pelvic floor myofascial pain in chronic pelvic pain and link between pelvic floor myofascial pain and lower urinary tract symptoms, physicians should be trained to evaluate for pelvic floor myofascial pain as part of their physical examination in patients presenting with these symptoms. Therefore, the development and standardization of a reliable and reproducible examination is needed.
Topics: Female; Humans; MEDLINE; Myofascial Pain Syndromes; Pain Measurement; Palpation; Pelvic Floor; Physical Examination; Urologic Diseases
PubMed: 29959930
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2018.06.014 -
British Journal of Anaesthesia Aug 2018Peripheral vein cannulation is a routine and straightforward invasive procedure, although i.v. access can be difficult to obtain. To increase the success rate of... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Meta-Analysis
BACKGROUND
Peripheral vein cannulation is a routine and straightforward invasive procedure, although i.v. access can be difficult to obtain. To increase the success rate of inserting an i.v. catheter, many devices have been proposed, including ultrasonography. The objective of this study was to compare ultrasound guidance with the traditional approach of palpation and direct visualisation for peripehral vein cannulation. The primary outcome was successful peripheral i.v. cannulation.
METHODS
Database search was performed on PubMed, Clinical Key, CINAHL, Cochrane Library of Clinical Trials, and Trip Database (from January 2000 to December 2017). Random-effect meta-analysis was performed to determine the pooled odds ratio for success in peripheral i.v. cannulation.
RESULTS
After database review and eligibility screening, eight studies were included in the final analysis, with a total of 1660 patients. The success rate in the ultrasound group was 81% (n=855), and was 70% (n=805) in the control group, resulting in a pooled odds ratio for success upon ultrasound-guided peripheral i.v. cannulation of 2.49 (95% confidence interval 1.37-4.52, P=0.003). Furthermore, the ultrasound-guided technique reduced the number of punctures and time needed to achieve i.v. access, and increased the level of patient satisfaction, although it did not result in a decreased number of complications.
CONCLUSIONS
Ultrasound guidance increases the success rate of peripheral i.v. cannulation, especially in patients with known or predicted difficult i.v. access.
Topics: Adult; Catheterization, Peripheral; Humans; Palpation; Ultrasonography, Interventional; Vascular Access Devices; Veins
PubMed: 30032874
DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2018.04.047 -
Journal of Osteopathic Medicine May 2023In this article, the authors will discuss a modified anatomy-based neck and thyroid examination that allows for a more comprehensive evaluation. It is the opinion of the...
In this article, the authors will discuss a modified anatomy-based neck and thyroid examination that allows for a more comprehensive evaluation. It is the opinion of the authors that an organ and its function are best evaluated utilizing the following steps: anatomy-based inspection and palpation, imaging, and blood tests. Approximately half of the lateral part of the thyroid is deep to the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and sternothyroid muscles, which makes it rather difficult to palpate the entire gland utilizing prior physical examination techniques. The goal of this modified anatomy-based thyroid examination is to minimize the number of structures between the physician's fingers and the patient's thyroid by utilizing neck flexion, side bending, and rotation. If one approaches the thyroid from behind the patient, nodules can be missed due to the muscles and transverse processes overlaying them. The incidence of thyroid cancer in the United States is drastically increasing, which demonstrates the importance of a more thorough thyroid palpation. Our anatomy-based approach may allow for earlier detection and therefore earlier treatment.
Topics: Humans; Thyroid Neoplasms; Physical Examination; Palpation
PubMed: 36940275
DOI: 10.1515/jom-2023-0005 -
Chiropractic & Manual Therapies Aug 2021Static or motion manual palpation of the low back is commonly used to assess pain location and reproduction in low back pain (LBP) patients. The purpose of this study is... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Static or motion manual palpation of the low back is commonly used to assess pain location and reproduction in low back pain (LBP) patients. The purpose of this study is to review the reliability and validity of manual palpation used for the assessment of LBP in adults.
METHOD
We systematically searched five databases from 2000 to 2019. We critically appraised internal validity of studies using QAREL and QUADAS-2 instruments. We stratified results using best-evidence synthesis. Validity studies were classified according to Sackett and Haynes.
RESULTS
We identified 2023 eligible articles, of which 14 were low risk of bias. Evidence suggests that reliability of soft tissue structures palpation is inconsistent, and reliability of bony structures and joint mobility palpation is poor. We found preliminary evidence that gluteal muscle palpation for tenderness may be valid in differentiating LBP patients with and without radiculopathy.
CONCLUSION
Reliability of manual palpation tests in the assessment of LBP patients varies greatly. This is problematic because these tests are commonly used by manual therapists and clinicians. Little is known about the validity of these tests; therefore, their clinical utility is uncertain. High quality validity studies are needed to inform the clinical use of manual palpation tests.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Low Back Pain; Palpation; Radiculopathy; Range of Motion, Articular; Reproducibility of Results
PubMed: 34446040
DOI: 10.1186/s12998-021-00384-3 -
Journal of Osteopathic Medicine Oct 2023Medical students with no previous experience may find it difficult to identify and palpate bony landmarks while learning physical examination skills. In a study of 168...
CONTEXT
Medical students with no previous experience may find it difficult to identify and palpate bony landmarks while learning physical examination skills. In a study of 168 medical schools, 72.6 % have indicated that they are utilizing ultrasound in their curriculum. Although the integration of ultrasound curriculum has become more widespread, the depth of instruction is inconsistent. Ultrasound is not commonly taught in conjunction with palpation of bony landmarks in osteopathic structural examination.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of this analysis was to identify whether utilizing ultrasound assistance in teaching palpation of specific thoracic vertebral bony landmarks would improve palpation accuracy in first-year medical students with no previous palpatory experience.
METHODS
First-year medical students were given video instructions to palpate and identify a thoracic vertebral transverse process and to mark it with invisible ink. The participants were then taught and instructed to utilize ultrasound to identify the same landmark and mark it with a different color. The accuracy of palpation was measured with digital calipers.
RESULTS
A test of the overall hypothesis that participants will show improved accuracy utilizing ultrasound compared with hand palpation was not significant (F=0.76, p>0.05). When separating students into groups according to patient body mass index (BMI), however, there was a trend toward significance (F=2.90, p=0.071) for an interaction effect between patient BMI and the repeated measures variable of palpation/ultrasound. When looking specifically at only those participants working with a normal BMI patient, there was a significant improvement in their accuracy with the use of ultrasound (F=7.92, p=0.017).
CONCLUSIONS
The analysis found increased accuracy in bony landmark identification in untrained palpators utilizing ultrasound vs. palpation alone in a normal BMI model, but not in obese or overweight BMI models. This study shows promise to the value that ultrasound may have in medical education, especially with respect to early palpation training and landmark identification.
Topics: Humans; Palpation; Ultrasonography; Physical Examination; Curriculum; Students, Medical
PubMed: 37498573
DOI: 10.1515/jom-2023-2002 -
The Western Journal of Medicine Jul 1991Assessing for the presence of splenomegaly is an important component of the physical examination. Although several methods of palpation and percussion of the spleen have... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Review
Assessing for the presence of splenomegaly is an important component of the physical examination. Although several methods of palpation and percussion of the spleen have been described, until recently they have not been validated by noninvasive imaging techniques such as ultrasonography, radionuclide scanning, and computed tomography that offer objective means to assess splenomegaly. We review the literature comparing various physical examination techniques with noninvasive imaging modalities and conclude that palpation and percussion of the spleen are complementary but frequently insensitive and that further studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of specific diagnostic methods.
Topics: Evaluation Studies as Topic; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Palpation; Percussion; Radionuclide Imaging; Spleen; Splenomegaly; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Ultrasonography
PubMed: 1877230
DOI: No ID Found -
The Journal of the American Osteopathic... Jun 2020There is no consensus on the correlation between clinical experience and accuracy in diagnosing somatic dysfunctions, which makes it difficult to justify the use of more...
CONTEXT
There is no consensus on the correlation between clinical experience and accuracy in diagnosing somatic dysfunctions, which makes it difficult to justify the use of more subjective measures to evaluate this important association. To better understand this relationship, palpatory forces can be observed while diagnosing a somatic dysfunction.
OBJECTIVE
To quantify the pressure applied in diagnosing lumbar somatic dysfunction, find a correlation between accuracy of diagnosis and palpation pressure, set the standards for palpation, and develop precise palpatory skills for osteopathic medical students.
METHODS
The palpatory forces were evaluated between participants with varying experience levels (osteopathic medical students and attending physicians from the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine). Two osteopathic physicians confirmed an L5 somatic dysfunction diagnosis in a volunteer standardized patient (SP), who served as the control. Participants then palpated the lumbar segment of the SP in a prone position with F-Scan System (TekScan) sensors, which recorded the amount of pressure and time used to reach a full diagnosis.
RESULTS
Participants (11 osteopathic medical students and 10 attending physicians) who diagnosed an L5 somatic dysfunction consistent with the SP's diagnosis had less of a difference in peak force (mean [SD] difference, 62.50 [325.7] g/cm2) between the contact points (right hand vs left hand). In contrast, participants with a dissimilar L5 diagnosis from the SP's had a mean (SD) difference in peak force of 319.38 (703.1) g/cm2. Similarly, the difference in the mean (SD) force of palpation between the contact points was lower in participants who made the correct diagnosis (16.81 [117.4] g/cm2) vs those who made an incorrect diagnosis (123.92 [210.3] g/cm2). No statistical significance was found between the diagnostic accuracy of the students and physicians (P=.387) or the time taken to reach a diagnosis (P=.199).
CONCLUSION
We observed that using equal pressures in both hands while palpating a lumbar segment correlates to more accurate somatic dysfunction diagnoses.
Topics: Humans; New York; Osteopathic Medicine; Palpation; Pressure
PubMed: 32451546
DOI: 10.7556/jaoa.2020.066 -
Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology :... Aug 2007
Review
Topics: Delivery, Obstetric; Female; Fetal Monitoring; Humans; Labor Onset; Labor Presentation; Palpation; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Ultrasonography, Prenatal
PubMed: 17659656
DOI: 10.1002/uog.4096 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2023"Muscle tone" is a clinically important and widely used term and palpation is a crucial skill for its diagnosis. However, the term is defined rather vaguely, and... (Review)
Review
"Muscle tone" is a clinically important and widely used term and palpation is a crucial skill for its diagnosis. However, the term is defined rather vaguely, and palpation is not measurable objectively. Therefore, several methods have been developed to measure muscle tone objectively, in terms of biomechanical properties of the muscle. This article aims to summarize these approaches. Through database searches, we identified those studies related to objective muscle tone measurement in vivo, in situ. Based on them, we described existing methods and devices and compared their reliability. Furthermore, we presented an extensive list of the use of these methods in different fields of research. Although it is believed by some authors that palpation cannot be replaced by a mechanical device, several methods have already proved their utility in muscle biomechanical property diagnosis. There appear to be two issues preventing wider usage of these objective methods in clinical practice. Firstly, a high variability of their reliability, and secondly, a lack of valid mathematical models that would provide the observed mechanical characteristics with a clear physical significance and allow the results to be compared with each other.
Topics: Reproducibility of Results; Muscle Tonus; Databases, Factual; Muscles; Palpation
PubMed: 37631726
DOI: 10.3390/s23167189 -
Journal of Thoracic Oncology : Official... Jun 2010There are four matters of uncertainty considered in this working group report, which are distilled into four clinical questions: (1) What is the evidence for the need... (Review)
Review
There are four matters of uncertainty considered in this working group report, which are distilled into four clinical questions: (1) What is the evidence for the need for palpation of the lung in modern era of imaging? (2) Is there evidence of a difference in outcome for an open versus a closed approach? (3) Is there evidence of a difference in outcome for an initial policy of bilateral versus unilateral exploration? (4) In patients with known bilateral disease, is there a difference in outcome with a simultaneous versus a staged approach?We searched the literature formally and supplemented this with knowledge from all other sources. We provide evidence tables on the first two questions by relying on a group consensus and frame recommendations for the other two.There are no randomized trials to guide us but there are comparative studies addressing the need for palpation and the need to and open operation in all cases. The evidence is equivocal, and opinions are divided in the literature.Palpation of the lung is still seen as necessary in a therapeutic metastasectomy as opposed to a diagnostic procedure when videothoracoscopy is adequate. However, the importance of palpation becomes less clear with advances in imaging. Routine bilateral exploration for unilateral disease was not favored. For bilateral disease, an initial median sternotomy has a place for some cases but sequenced thoracotomy was preferred.
Topics: Humans; Lung Neoplasms; Palpation; Pneumonectomy; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted; Tomography, Spiral Computed
PubMed: 20502249
DOI: 10.1097/JTO.0b013e3181dcf62c