What it means
A sound heard with a stethoscope over the front of the chest, best with the client leaning forward or lying on the left side. It comes from air in the mediastinum, the space around the heart (pneumomediastinum), which can follow chest injury, a tear in the esophagus or airway, severe asthma, forceful vomiting or mechanical ventilation. It is named after Louis Hamman, an American physician.
For the nurse
Report it at once, along with chest pain, trouble breathing, or crackling under the skin of the neck and chest (subcutaneous emphysema).
At a glance
| Also written | Hamman's crunch, Hamman's sign, Hamman crunch |
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Related terms
mechanical ventilation
Breathing support from a machine, a ventilator, that pushes air into the lungs through a tube or a mask.
auscultation
Listening to the sounds inside the body, usually with a stethoscope.