Auenbrugger Bone Sign

Description

Auenbrugger Bone sign (more commonly known as Heuter sign) may be used to define the presence of upper limb fracture or dislocation via osteophony.

• Each olecranon is tapped whilst listening over the manubrium with the bell of the stethoscope.
• Intact bone gives a bright, crisp tapping sound to percussion with equal sound transmission to each side
• If osteophony reveals a muffled or distant quality to the sound, this suggests a humeral fracture or glenohumeral dislocation.

Associated Persons

• Josef Leopold Auenbrugger von Auenbrugg (1722 – 1809)

References

• Juhn B. Auenbrugger’s sign. Wiener Medizinische Wochenschrift. 1961; 111: 259.
• Bedford DE. Auenbrugger’s contribution to cardiology – History of percussion of the heart. Br Heart J. 1971; 33(6): 817–821.
• Simth JJ. The Inventum Novum of Joseph Leopold Auenbrugger. Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine. 1962; 38(10): 691–701