Is Caput Medusae serious?

Caput medusae, sometimes called a palm tree sign, refers to the appearance of a network of painless, swollen veins around your bellybutton. While it’s not a disease, it is a sign of an underlying condition, usually liver disease.

What’s caput medusae?

Caput medusae is the name for a cluster of swollen veins in your abdomen. The swelling usually appears around the belly button, and the veins branch out from a central point. They are typically painless, but they are a symptom of circulatory problems that are often related to liver disease.‌

Who is caput?

Caput is used in medicine to describe any head like protuberance on an organ or structure, such as the caput humeri. In music, caput may refer to the Missa Caput or the plainsong melisma on which it is based. In the study of spiders, the caput is the front part of a cephalothorax.

How does Caput Medusae work?

Caput medusae is a network of dilated veins surrounding the umbilicus. It is caused by increased blood flow in the umbilical and periumbilical veins and is often accompanied by an audible venous hum over the umbilical vein (Cruveilhier-Baumgarten murmur).

How is caput medusae treated?

Blood from the portal venous system is shunted through the umbilical veins into the abdominal wall veins, which manifest as the caput medusae. No specific treatment is required for this condition.

Where are caput medusae located?

Caput medusae is the appearance of distended and engorged superficial epigastric veins, which are seen radiating from the umbilicus across the abdomen.

How do you water caput medusae?

The Medusa plant doesn’t need too much water. Unlike other air plants, it doesn’t even prefer to be soaked in water. You should use misting or spraying to water this plant. Mist it 2-3 times during summers and focus on the head of the plant rather than the bulbous base.

What pathology is the caput medusae characteristic during examination of the abdomen?

Examination of the Abdomen. Abdominal distention and dilation of collateral veins are the most florid visible signs of advanced liver disease with ascites and portal hypertension. Caput medusae (Fig. 148-4) in the periumbilical area implies recanalization of the umbilical vein due to portal hypertension.