Grey Turners Sign
Other Names
- Grey Turner sign
- Flank ecchymosis
- Ecchymosis of the flanks
- Flank bruising
Purpose
- Physical examination finding used to identify possible retroperitoneal hemorrhage
- May indicate severe acute pancreatitis with hemorrhagic extension
- Can suggest significant abdominal or pelvic bleeding following trauma
- Serves as a marker of potentially life-threatening underlying pathology requiring urgent evaluation
- First described by George Grey Turner in 1920 in patients with acute pancreatitis[3]
Description
- Blood from a retroperitoneal source tracks through fascial planes into the subcutaneous tissues of the flanks.
- Results in blue, purple, or green discoloration of the lateral abdominal wall.
Pathology
- Retroperitoneal trauma/hemorrhage
- Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm
- Ruptured ectopic pregnancy
- Perirenal hemorrhage
- Anticoagulation-associated bleeding
- Retroperitoneal neoplasms with hemorrhage
Evidence
- Unknown
See Also
References
- ↑ Fan, Zhe, and Yingyi Zhang. "Grey Turner's and Cullen's signs induced by spontaneous hemorrhage of the abdominal wall after coughing." Annals of Surgical Treatment and Research 93.2 (2017): 115.
- ↑ Wright, William F. "Cullen sign and grey turner sign revisited." Journal of Osteopathic Medicine 116.6 (2016): 398-401.
- ↑ Grey Turner, George. "Local Discoloration of the Abdominal Wall as a Sign of Acute Pancreatitis." British Journal of Surgery, vol. 7, no. 28, 1920, pp. 394–395.
Created by:
John Kiel on 8 June 2026 10:29:59
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Last edited:
12 June 2026 10:41:53
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