ABSTRACT
In the middle third of the 19th century, George Phillip Cammann became known for the stethoscope improvement that came to bear his name and for the development of the then-popular diagnostic technique of auscultatory percussion. During his postgraduate training at the Paris hospitals in 1828-1830, he acquired a special interest in auscultation while attending lectures given by a friend and colleague of Laennec's, French physician Pierre-Charles-Alexandre Louis (1787-1872). In his New York City practice, caring primarily for the working poor, he recognized the need for a better stethoscope and developed a modification that came to bear his name. He conducted research aimed at increasing the accuracy of physical diagnosis by improving and reporting on the technique of auscultatory percussion. An examination of the medical literature, both textbooks and journals, reveals the extent of influence that Cammann had on clinical practice resulting from his contributions to the improvement of the stethoscope and auscultatory percussion.
Subject(s)
Physicians , Stethoscopes , Humans , Male , Auscultation/history , Auscultation/methods , Percussion/methods , Stethoscopes/historyABSTRACT
A vertebral compression fracture is a red flag for low back pain. The closed-fist percussion sign is a useful physical examination, but there is a possibility of misdiagnosis. A 58-year-old woman complaining of low back pain with suddenly developed pain at rest. Physical examination using x-rays and closed-fist percussion sign were negative, but auscultatory percussion was positive. As a result, vertebral compression fracture was diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Auscultatory percussion is a method that can determine a vertebral compression fracture without causing pain, and is necessary to improve accuracy in the future.
