Macewen's sign

Macewen's sign or Macewen sign (/məˈkjuːn/) the is a sign used to help to diagnose hydrocephalus[1] (accumulation of excess cerebrospinal fluid) and brain abscesses. Tapping (percussion) the skull near the junction of the frontal, temporal and parietal bones will produce a stronger resonant sound when either hydrocephalus or a brain abscess are present.

The sign was discovered and described by Sir William Macewen (1848-1924), a surgeon and professor of the University of Glasgow, Scotland who also described Macewen's operation for inguinal hernia.

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