Macewen's sign or Macewen sign () is a sign used to help to diagnose

hydrocephalus Hydrocephalus is a condition in which an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) occurs within the brain. This typically causes increased intracranial pressure, pressure inside the skull. Older people may have headaches, double vision, poor ...

(accumulation of excess

cerebrospinal fluid Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a clear, colorless body fluid found within the tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord of all vertebrates. CSF is produced by specialised ependymal cells in the choroid plexus of the ventricles of the bra ...

) and brain

abscess An abscess is a collection of pus that has built up within the tissue of the body. Signs and symptoms of abscesses include redness, pain, warmth, and swelling. The swelling may feel fluid-filled when pressed. The area of redness often extends b ...

es. Tapping (

percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...

) the skull near the junction of the frontal, temporal, and parietal bones will produce cracked pot sound. Positive test is indication of separated sutures. This is due to raised intracranial tension. The sign was discovered and described by

Sir William Macewen Sir William Macewen, (; 22 June 1848 – 22 March 1924) was a Scottish surgeon. He was a pioneer in modern brain surgery, considered the ''father of neurosurgery'' and contributed to the development of bone graft surgery, the surgical trea ...

(1848–1924), a surgeon and professor of the University of Glasgow, Scotland, who also described

Macewen's operation Macewen's operation is an operation for the cure of inguinal hernia, developed by Scottish surgeon Sir William Macewen Sir William Macewen, (; 22 June 1848 – 22 March 1924) was a Scottish surgeon. He was a pioneer in modern brain surger ...

for inguinal hernia. McEwan's sign in alcohol intoxication is different: Pupils are contracted, but on external painful stimulation of the person (e.g. by pinching or slapping) causes pupil to dilate followed by slow constriction. It is suggestive of alcoholic coma.

References

Symptoms and signs: Nervous system {{med-sign-stub