China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Diagnosis of COVID-19 Using Clinical Examination, Immunoassays, and Molecular Diagnostic Techniques
Published in Srijan Goswami, Chiranjeeb Dey, COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2, 2022
Srijan Goswami, Ushmita Gupta Bakshi
Also, if indicated, some special tests like egophony or bronchophony may be performed. So, while auscultating the lungs, the presence of sounds like bronchial breath sounds, wheezing, crackles, rhonchi, egophony, or bronchophony might increase our suspicion of COVID-19 (Healthcare Workers, 2020a; World Health Organization: Geneva, 2020; Patient Assessment, 2020).
The patient with acute respiratory problems
Published in Peate Ian, Dutton Helen, Acute Nursing Care, 2020
The areas previously percussed are then auscultated, using the diaphragm of the stethoscope to listen for breath sounds. The sounds produced on one side of the chest are compared to the other side. Normal breath sounds over the anterior and posterior chest wall are vesicular, which are soft, low-pitched sounds where the inspiratory phase is shorter than the expiratory phase. If bronchial sounds are heard, this may suggest an area of consolidation. Bronchial breath sounds are loud and high-pitched, with the inspiratory phase shorter than the expiratory phase. As well as breath sounds, there may be additional breath sounds (adventitious sounds), such as crackles and wheezes. Coarse crackles are usually heard on inspiration with problems such as infection, pulmonary oedema (fluid in the alveoli as a result of left ventricular heart failure) and fine inspiratory crackles in pulmonary fibrosis or in the re-expansion of collapsed alveoli. Wheezes are usually expiratory and can be heard in acute asthma and in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Differences in the transmission of voice sounds can also be heard during auscultation. Where there is consolidation, the sounds produced by asking the patient to say ‘99’ will be heard more loudly through the stethoscope as compared to the healthy side; this is called bronchophony. Bronchophony is conversely diminished where there is air present and absent over a pleural effusion or significant pneumothorax.
The respiratory system
Published in Peter Kopelman, Dame Jane Dacre, Handbook of Clinical Skills, 2019
Peter Kopelman, Dame Jane Dacre
Altered vocal resonance is best heard over areas of consolidation, and is best described as an increase in clarity of the words heard (with an almost booming nature) through the chest wall. This sign is called bronchophony, and is due to the increased sound-conducting properties of solid tissue over air. If vocal resonance is present, it may be easier to hear as ‘whispering pectoriloquy’. The whispered voice is conducted very clearly, as it consists largely of high-frequency noises – almost like being in a whispering gallery.
Identifying the gap in clinical skills: a pilot study investigating the use of clinical respiratory examination skills in practice
Published in Education for Primary Care, 2021
Sophia Kerzner, Randi Q. Mao, Janhavi Nikhil Patel, Shreyas Sreeraman, Jason Profetto
Auscultating for breath sounds was the only skill in the entire survey to be unanimously useful. (100%). Additionally, almost all respondents (98.7%) felt that auscultating for breath sounds should be taught. The three auscultation techniques for consolidation (aegophony, whispered pectoriloquy, and bronchophony), were rated as useful by less than 20% of respondents. Most respondents felt that the consolidation tests should not be taught to students.