Surgical Sieves
A surgical sieve is useful when trying to answer questions on the cause of a sign or symptom. It helps to bring to mind lots of different conditions which could be potential causes. It can also be helpful in formulating a differential diagnosis for patients where the diagnosis is not clear.
I think MAGIC ADDITIVE is the most comprehensive and easy to remember surgical sieve but there are many others some of which are listed below.
M |
Metabolic - e.g. gout, hypoglycemia |
A |
Autoimmune - e.g. lupus, Crohn's disease |
G |
Genetic - e.g. cystic fibrosis |
I |
Infective (bacterial, viral, fungal, protozoal, parasitic) - e.g. gastroenteritis, pneumonia |
C |
Cancer - e.g. lung cancer, lymphoma |
A |
Acquired (environmental factors) - e.g. COPD, asbestosis |
D |
Degenerative - e.g. osteoarthritis, dementia |
D |
Drugs - e.g. penicillin allergy, Clostridium difficile infection after antibiotics |
I |
Insanity - psychiatric conditions e.g. depression, factitious diarrhea |
T |
Trauma - gun shot wound, surgical trauma |
I |
Idiopathic - conditions with unknown cause e.g. idiopathic intracranial hypertension |
V |
Vascular - e.g. stroke, angina |
E |
Endocrine - e.g. diabetes, acromegally |
Alternative sieves:
MIDNITE - Metabolic, Inflammation, Degenerative, Neoplastic, Infection, Trauma and Environmental.
VITAMIN CDEF - Vascular, Infective/Inflammatory, Traumatic, Autoimmune, Metabolic, Iatrogenic/Idiopathic, Neoplastic Congenital, Degenerative/Developmental, Endocrine/Environmental and Functional .
INVITED MD - Infective, Neoplasitic, Vascular, Inflammatory/Autoimmune, Trauma, Endocrine, Degenerative, Metabolic and Drugs.
CA INVITED MD III - Congenital, Acquired, Infective, Neoplasitic, Vascular, Inflammatory, Trauma, Endocrine, Degenerative, Metabolic, Drugs, Idiopathic, Iatrogenic, Immunological.
