###### Created: 2024-06-17 13:51 ###### Areas & Topics: #medicine ###### Note Type: #permanent ###### Connected to: [[]] - Caput Medusae is the appearance of distended and engorged superficial veins seen radiating from the umbilicus across the abdomen. - The term comes from Latin meaning 'head of Medusa'. - It is caused by, and is a cardinal sign of, portal hypertension - Portal hypertension leads to dilating and re-opening the paraumbilical veins (embryological veins which close and are left as remnants after birth), creating the appearance of caput medusae. ![[0200f0f3-d11f-43bf-80f0-f3d11f73bfa3.webp]] ### Resources Sharma, Brij, and Sujeet Raina. “Caput medusae.” _The Indian journal of medical research_ vol. 141,4 (2015): 494. doi:10.4103/0971-5916.159322 Caput medusae - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caput_medusae Macleod's Clinical Examination https://www-clinicalkey-com.ezproxy.lancs.ac.uk/student/content/book/3-s2.0-B978032384770400006X#hl0002302