Homan's Sign: Useful or Useless? What's your opinion?

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  1. Is Homan's sign myth or fact in assessing DVT?

    • 13
      Yes, I find DVTs using Homan's all the time.
    • 79
      No, I find most of my DVT patients are not positive for Homan's
    • 41
      Sometimes. Please discuss.
    • 13
      Other. Please discuss.

146 members have participated

Specializes in Utilization Management.

Do you perform Homan's sign on all of your patients? Do you find it accurate or not?

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

I do it, but i don't find it that acurate. My own personal experience plays in that. If i do the Homan's sign, i instantly get a cramp, so of course i yell "ow".

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Specializes in Utilization Management.
I do it, but i don't find it that acurate. My own personal experience plays in that. If i do the Homan's sign, i instantly get a cramp, so of course i yell "ow".

Me too, Marie! That's why I asked! :chuckle Also, we have all these geriatric patients who are not so limber and I get a lot of them telling me dorsiflexion hurts or gives them leg cramps, so I don't find it very helpful.

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I believe it is contraindicated in the geriatric patient. I don't use it on them.

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Specializes in Psych, Med/Surg, LTC.

I check most of my patients using the homan's sign so I can chart that I did it and the responce to cover my butt, but I don't really see much value in it.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.

I would have to say useless. According to the literature, the Homan's sign is only positive in DVT patients only 50% of the time and in my personal practice, I would say it is less than that. Also, there are other indicators of DVT which are more reliable such as pain, swelling and redness and personal history.

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we are supposed to use it, but I have read and heard from MD's that it could dislodge a clot?? Any care to elaborate

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Last semester I learn that the homans sign was useless, that most DVT are present with increase pain, warmth and numbness. I work on a rehab unit(CVA, Neuro, ortho) and when pt. c/o pain, tenderness and warmth. If I do the homans sign I know there going to holler out.

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Specializes in IMC, ICU, Telemetry.

I didn't have a +Homan's with my DVT. I did have pain (8/10), massive swelling, discoloration.

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Specializes in Rehab, Med Surg, Home Care.

I do it religiously cause it looks good on paper but in my experience no-one I've ever had a positive respose from has had a DVT while no-one with a DVT has had a positive response.

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Specializes in Med Surg/Tele/ER.

We are being taught not to use Homans....unrealiable, can dislodge clot. Instead look for pain, t-ness, swelling, redness, discoloration ect.

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Specializes in LDRP.

Had a 95 year old lady hospitalized for renal failure. Had CHF, so had some edema. Her overprotective daughters swore they thought she had a DVT. one leg looked more swollen than the other. (they said)

Not warm, not painful, negative Homan's. She had a huge DVT from the top of her leg to the bottom.

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