Hereditary elliptocytosis physical examination

• Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Niyousha Danesh M.D., M.P.H

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Physical Examination

Appearance of the Patient

• Patients are usually well-appearing in the absence of severe anemia.
• Patient appears ill in the state of septicemia.

Vital Signs

• may have Tachycardia, depends on the severity of the anemia.
• may have Tachypnea depends on severity of the anemia.
• Patients may have weak pulse

Skin

• Jaundice
  • Secondary to hemolysis
• Pallor
  • Secondary to anemia

HEENT

• may have signs of meningitis due to meningococcal infection following splenectomy : neck stiffness (redor) ,fever, headache

• Evidence of trauma
• Pale conjunctiva
• Scleral icterus

Neck

No specific sign.

Lungs

• commonly normal lung sounds.
• May present crackle due to pneumococcal or Haemophilus influenza pneumonia , following splenectomy.

Heart

• commonly normal heart sounds

Abdomen

• Splenomegaly : the spleen can be palpable.
• Abdominal tenderness or fullness in the left upper quadrant following splenomegaly.
• Abdominal tenderness in the right upper quadrant due to biliary colic.
• Murphy's sign that may suggest cholecystitis.

Extremities

• Leg ulcers

Neuromuscular

• Patient is usually oriented to persons, place, and time
• Glasgow coma scale is normally 15 / 15 but may may present loss of consciousness in severe fatal hemorrhage episodes.