There are actually two Trousseau’s signs:
Recurrent thrombophlebitis associated with a visceral carcinoma (Trousseau’s syndrome). The phlebitis
may be superficial or deep, often with a migratory pattern (thrombophlebitis migrans). This presents
with successive crops of tender nodules in the affected vessels, with different veins being involved
either simultaneously or randomly. It reflects a prothrombotic state from an underlying visceral
malignancy, usually an adenocarcinoma (pancreas or lung, but also stomach, breast, and prostate). First
described in 1861 by Trousseau, who in 1867 recognized it on himself as part of the pancreatic cancer that eventually killed him.
Carpal spasm in patients with overt tetany (Trousseau’s phenomenon). This is associated with
extension of the foot (carpopedal spasm), extension of the body, and opisthotonos. The spasm of the hand
involves wrist flexors and finger extensors, so that the fingers are flexed at the metacarpophalangeal joints and extended at the phalangeal joints; the thumb is flexed and adducted into the palm. Thus
shaped, the hand so typically resembles that of a physician making a vaginal examination to often be
referred to as the “obstetrician’s hand” (main d'accoucheur, from the original Trousseau’s description).
Recurrent thrombophlebitis associated with a visceral carcinoma (Trousseau’s syndrome). The phlebitis
may be superficial or deep, often with a migratory pattern (thrombophlebitis migrans). This presents
with successive crops of tender nodules in the affected vessels, with different veins being involved
either simultaneously or randomly. It reflects a prothrombotic state from an underlying visceral
malignancy, usually an adenocarcinoma (pancreas or lung, but also stomach, breast, and prostate). First
described in 1861 by Trousseau, who in 1867 recognized it on himself as part of the pancreatic cancer that eventually killed him.
Carpal spasm in patients with overt tetany (Trousseau’s phenomenon). This is associated with
extension of the foot (carpopedal spasm), extension of the body, and opisthotonos. The spasm of the hand
involves wrist flexors and finger extensors, so that the fingers are flexed at the metacarpophalangeal joints and extended at the phalangeal joints; the thumb is flexed and adducted into the palm. Thus
shaped, the hand so typically resembles that of a physician making a vaginal examination to often be
referred to as the “obstetrician’s hand” (main d'accoucheur, from the original Trousseau’s description).