Stemmer’s sign is due to? – Surgery MCQ

Stemmer’s sign is due to?
A. Lipodystrophy
B. Retroperitoneal fibrosis
C. Subcutaneous fibrosis
D. Deep vein thrombosis

Stemmer’s sign in lymphoedema

Correct answer : C. Subcutaneous fibrosis

• Stemmer’s sign is seen in lymphoedema.
• Skin on the dorsum of the toes cannot be pinched due to subcutaneous fibrosis.
• This is called Stemmer’s sign.

Ref: Bailey and Love’s Short Practice of Surgery, 25th edition, p 947.
Image credits: Andreas Wittlinger. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stemmer_Zeichen.jpg Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Germany license.