What it means
Named after the French physician Armand Trousseau. The cuff is inflated above the systolic pressure for up to 3 minutes. A positive sign is a cramp in which the wrist bends, the fingers straighten and the thumb pulls in toward the palm. It shows that nerves and muscles are overexcitable, as in low calcium (hypocalcemiahy-poh-kal-SEE-mee-uhA blood calcium level below normal.hypo- belowcalc calcium-emia in the bloodFull entry ) or low magnesium.
For the nurse
Check it, along with Chvostek signVOS-tek sineA twitch of the muscles of the face when the facial nerve, just in front of the ear, is tapped.Full entry , in clients at risk for low calcium, such as after thyroid or parathyroid surgery, and report a positive result along with any tingling around the mouth or in the fingers.
At a glance
| Spanish | signo de Trousseau |
|---|---|
| Also written | Trousseau's sign, Trousseau’s sign |
Related terms
hypocalcemia
A blood calcium level below normal.
tetany
Involuntary muscle cramps and spasms that come from nerves firing too easily.
hypomagnesemia
A blood magnesium level below normal.
hypoparathyroidism
A condition in which the parathyroid glands make too little parathyroid hormone.
Chvostek sign
A twitch of the muscles of the face when the facial nerve, just in front of the ear, is tapped.