What is blunting of the distal phalanges seen in advanced chronic pulmonary disease?

Answer 1

Blunting of the distal phalanges is a diagnostic term referring to the "clubbing" of the fingertips as was documented by Hippocrates in conjunction with the occurrence of advanced pulmonary disease. Hence, it is also referred to as "Hippocratic fingers." It is a deformity of the fingers evident in several diseases, but perhaps most notable in the later stages of lung and heart dysfunction. Other names for this phenomena include "drumstick fingers" and "watch-glass nails." Perhaps a more practical phrasing of the question would refer to blunting of the fingertips in heart and lung conditions as opposed to an ass-raping of medical terms that an average yet intelligent person would not bother slogging through to find such an unexciting answer. "What do clubbed fingers indicate in advanced pulmonary disease?" would perhaps be a more streamlined and less pedantic phrasing of the question...unless the sole purpose was to intimidate those with a life-threatening chronic illness. Congratulations...maybe another useless specialist understood that question but the information rendered was completely ineffectual for the non-medical community.