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Ewart's sign
System: Heart & Circulation Signs · All heart & circulation signs
What it is — and how it is elicited
An area of dullness to percussion below the tip of the left shoulder blade, sometimes with bronchial breathing, in a patient with a large pericardial effusion.
What a positive finding suggests
Associated with a large collection of fluid around the heart compressing the base of the left lung.
◈ Behind the name
William Ewart (1848–1929), British physician.
Related signs — Heart & Circulation Signs
Browse the E section of the A–Z list or return to the Clinical Signs hub.
Please note: This page is an educational reference about clinical examination signs. A clinical sign supports — and never replaces — a full clinical evaluation, examination and appropriate testing. A sign being present does not by itself prove a diagnosis, and an absent sign does not rule one out. If you have symptoms that worry you, see a health professional.