Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small medical hammer, typically with a rubber head, used by healthcare professionals to perform percussion examinations (such as tapping on the chest or abdomen) and to test neurological reflexes (like the knee-jerk reflex).

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The doctor used a plexor to tap the pleximeter on the patient's back during the chest examination.
  • A reflex test often involves striking the tendon with a plexor to observe the muscle's response.

Advanced Usage

• "Plexor and pleximeter": A classic diagnostic technique where the plexor is used to strike a second instrument called a pleximeter, which is placed against the patient's body, to produce sounds that help assess the condition of underlying organs.
  • The physician performed auscultation using the plexor and pleximeter to evaluate the density of the lung tissue.

Variants and Related Words

• Percussor: (n) Another term for a medical hammer used for percussion. It is often used synonymously with plexor.
• Reflex hammer: (n) A type of medical hammer, which may include a plexor, specifically designed for testing reflexes.
• Pleximeter: (n) A small, flat instrument placed against the body that is struck by the plexor during percussion examinations.

Synonyms

• Medical hammer: A general term for a hammer used in clinical practice.
• Percussion hammer: Specifically denotes a hammer used for percussion techniques.

Notes on Meaning

• The term plexor is highly specialized and used almost exclusively in medical contexts, particularly in physical diagnosis. It is not a common word in everyday English.
• Its function is specifically associated with the diagnostic methods of percussion and reflex testing.

Noun

1. (medicine) a small hammer with a rubber head used in percussive examinations of the chest and in testing reflexes