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Medical condition From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Westphal's sign is the clinical correlate of the absence or decrease of patellar reflex or knee jerk. Patellar reflex or knee jerk is a kind of deep or stretch reflex where an application of a stimulus to the patellar tendon such as strike by a solid object or hammer caused the leg to extend due to such stimulus causes the quadriceps femoris muscle to contract.[citation needed]
Westphal's sign | |
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Patellar tendon reflex arc | |
Differential diagnosis | Peripheral nerve disease, Motor cortex lesion |
It is named for Karl Friedrich Otto Westphal (1833–1890).[1][2]
Westphal's sign has a clinical significance used in determining neurological disorders or diseases such as:[citation needed]
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