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Stemmer's Sign
Aka: Stemmer's Sign, Stemmer Sign, Kaposi-Stemmer Sign
- Indications
- Lower Extremity Edema
- Mechanism
- Lymphedema results in thickened, fibrotic skin from protein and inflammatory cell deposition
- Exam: Technique
- Attempt to pinch and lift skinfold at the base of the second toe (or middle finger)
- Interpretation
- Negative (able to pinch skin)
- Does not completely exclude Lymphedema (especially if recent onset), but is more suggestive of other edema cause
- No swelling at base of digit is more consistent with Chronic Venous Insufficiency
- Pitting swelling of the base of digit is more suggestive of CHF, Nephrotic Syndrome, Cirrhosis or other similar edema
- Positive (unable to pinch skin)
- Pathognomonic for Lymphedema
- Resources
- Wound Care Advisor: Stemmer's Sign
- http://woundcareadvisor.com/positive-stemmers-sign-yields-a-definitive-lymphedema-diagnosis-in-10-seconds-or-less_vol2-no2/
- References
- Brenner (2007) Phlebologie 36(6):320-324 [PubMed]