Venothromboembolic Signs and Medical Eponyms: Part II

Eponyms were established to serve the purpose of honoring individuals who have made important observations and discoveries. The use of eponyms remains controversial, and important questions have been raised regarding their appropriateness. Although there have been instances where eponyms were abandoned, the remainder are largely embedded within the established literature making their disappearance unlikely. Physicians used a variety of techniques to describe signs of medical eponyms as a method for diagnosing deep venous thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE) or venothromboembolism (VTE). These methods (observation, palpation, pressure, or maneuvers), were detected during the physical examination and using bedside sphygmomanometer or radiographic imaging. Reviewed are both common and less frequently encountered VTE eponyms identified during the physical examination and radiologic imaging. Most of these signs have not been further studied and, therefore, there is a lack of information regarding their accuracy and reliability in clinical practice.