Bedside Evaluation of Edema

Edema, commonly called swelling, is a common medical condition, with many causes. Clinicians generally find edema by pressing against a patient's skin, usually on the feet or shins, and observing how much dimpling there is in the skin. Most clinicians estimate the amount on a scale of mild to severe, or perhaps state the amount as 1 to 4. There is little agreement between observers, and it is hard to judge different clinicians' use of these scales. The first part of this experiment will demonstrate this inconsistency. After clinicians are shown a new technique for measuring edema, the second part of the study will show more accurate and consistent measurements. This will help clinicians to measure edema better, and to communicate their findings to other clinicians more effectively.