Trousseau (or Trousseau's) sign
3 June 2026
by
TCAR Education Programs, Stephen Von Weller
A twitching or spasm of hand muscles when a blood pressure cuff is inflated on the upper arm. This finding indicates hypocalcemia. In trauma patients, hypocalcemia is associated with whole blood red cell transfusion because the citrate anticoagulant added to the blood binds to serum calcium. Also called carpal spasm.