Fluctuant

Wavelike motion felt during physical examination when a bodily structure containing fluid is palpated, or examined with the hands and fingers. When physical examination shows that an abnormal body structure is fluctuant, this means that it is filled with fluid rather than a solid mass.


The term “fluctuation” is used to describe the movement felt when touching a swelling, indicating the presence of fluid within it. This sign is commonly associated with swelling that contains fluid, and it is often used to describe an abscess.


 


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