Lowenberg's sign

Lowenberg's sign is a clinical sign used in the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). It is named after the German physician, Richard Lowenberg, who first described it in 1935. The sign is positive when there is pain in the calf upon compression of the thigh, which may indicate the presence of a thrombus in the deep veins of the leg.

Clinical Significance

Lowenberg's sign is used as a diagnostic tool for deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a serious condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in one or more of the deep veins in your body, usually in your legs. DVT can cause leg pain or swelling, but also can occur with no symptoms. DVT can be very serious because blood clots in your veins can break loose, travel through your bloodstream and lodge in your lungs, blocking blood flow (pulmonary embolism).

Method of Examination

To test for Lowenberg's sign, the examiner places a blood pressure cuff around the patient's mid-thigh and inflates it. If the patient experiences pain in the calf before the cuff pressure reaches 100 mmHg, the sign is considered positive.

Limitations

While Lowenberg's sign can be a useful tool in the diagnosis of DVT, it is not definitive. Other diagnostic tests, such as ultrasound or venography, are often needed to confirm the diagnosis. Furthermore, the sign can be positive in other conditions that cause calf pain, such as muscle strain or peripheral artery disease.

See Also

• Homan's sign
• Pratt's sign
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Pulmonary embolism

References

1. Lowenberg, R. (1935). A new clinical sign for the diagnosis of thrombosis in the deep veins of the leg. Archives of Surgery, 30(2), 266-270.
2. Wells, P. S., Anderson, D. R., Bormanis, J., Guy, F., Mitchell, M., Gray, L., ... & Lewandowski, B. (1997). Value of assessment of pretest probability of deep-vein thrombosis in clinical management. The Lancet, 350(9094), 1795-1798.

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