Kehr's sign
System: Abdominal & Digestive Signs · All abdominal & digestive signs
What it is — and how it is elicited
Pain felt at the tip of the left shoulder when the abdomen is pressed, or when the patient lies flat or head-down, after abdominal bleeding or injury.
What a positive finding suggests
Associated with irritation of the diaphragm by blood, classically from a ruptured spleen.
◈ Behind the name
Hans Kehr (1862–1916), German surgeon.
Related signs — Abdominal & Digestive Signs
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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.