Orbital Auscultation
I’ve seen people make fun of this picture too many times and I think it’s high time people are told why doctors do this seemingly unusual examination.
Example Orbital Auscultation Examination
This is called orbital auscultation, where, as the name suggests, doctors use their stethoscopes to auscultate (listen) to the region around your eye (orbit).
Structure of Human Eye
So why do we do it?
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In certain conditions, it is possible to hear sounds through your orbit, which makes it a good screening technique for certain conditions such as below:-
Example examination done to patients
A carotid-cavernous fistula (where there is a pathological joining of your carotid artery and a space in your head called the cavernous sinus).
Carotid-Cavernous Fistula
Cerebral AV malformation (There is a defect in formation of the arteries and veins in your brain).
Cerebral AV malformation
An intracranial mass causing a raise in pressure within the cavity housing the brain.
Example x-ray shows that pressure may effected brain itself
Paget’s disease (A disease characterised by a disruption of the cycle of bone renewal) where the bone meddles with your body's typical reusing process, in which new bone tissue bit by bit replaces old bone tissue. After some time, the malady can make influenced bones become delicate and deformed. Paget's malady of bone most normally happens in the pelvis, skull, spine and legs.
Example bone that had being infected.
And other vascular abnormalities! So now you’ve know this, don’t snicker when you see someone doing this, because it’s definitely done for a reason.
Orbital Auscultation
Source from :Twitter