In: Anatomy and Physiology
What is Caput Medusae? 1 sentence
Caput medusae literally means "head of medusa" in Latin. It is is the appearance of distended and engorged paraumbilical veins of the abdomen which are seen radiating from the umbilicus.
Paraumbilical veins supply blood from the mother to the fetus. After birth, within one week, paraumbilical veins close. In adult life, these closed paraumbilical veins get recanalised due to portal hypertension and gets engorged and distended which are seen as caput medusae.
Portal hypertension is the increase in the pressure of portal vein and it's branches which carry blood from the gastrointestinal tract and organs like spleen, pancreas to the liver. This is most commonly seen in conditions where the liver is damaged like cirrhosis of liver. In cirrhosis of liver, there is scarring of the liver tissues which makes the blood flow through the portal vein difficult, increasing the pressure and causing portal hypertension.
Thus, caput medusae is most commonly a sign of liver damage which increases the portal venous pressure causing portal hypertension which recanalises the closed paraumbilical veins which get distended and engorged with blood.