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Caput medusae

MedGen UID:
526199
•Concept ID:
C0221226
•
Finding
Synonyms: Caput Medusae; Cirsomphalos; Distended umbilical veins; Palm tree sign
SNOMED CT: Caput Medusae (402844009); Cirsomphalos (111294009); Distended umbilical veins (111294009)
 
HPO: HP:0025203

Definition

Distended and engorged umbilical veins which are seen radiating from the umbilicus across the abdomen to join systemic veins. [from HPO]

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Developmental venous anomalies: current concepts and implications for management.
Rammos SK, Maina R, Lanzino G
Neurosurgery 2009 Jul;65(1):20-9; discussion 29-30. doi: 10.1227/01.NEU.0000347091.06694.3E. PMID: 19574822

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Assessment, diagnosis and treatment of peristomal skin lesions by remote imaging: An expert validation study.
García-Manzanares ME, Lancharro-Bermúdez M, Fernandez-Lasquetty-Blanc B, Hernández-Martínez A, Rodríguez-Almagro J, Caparros-Sanz MR
J Adv Nurs 2023 Feb;79(2):630-640. Epub 2022 Nov 17 doi: 10.1111/jan.15497. PMID: 36394252Free PMC Article
The effects of alcohol and illicit drug use on the skin.
Jain NP, Shao K, Stewart C, Grant-Kels JM
Clin Dermatol 2021 Sep-Oct;39(5):772-783. Epub 2021 May 21 doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2021.05.005. PMID: 34785005
Ultrasound-Guided Access into the Abdomen in the Setting of Portal Hypertension: A Novel Technique.
Criss CN, Ralls MW, Jarboe MD
J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A 2017 Mar;27(3):328-331. Epub 2016 Nov 18 doi: 10.1089/lap.2016.0514. PMID: 27858592
Signs and Related Mechanisms of Ethanol Hepatotoxicity.
Dinis-Oliveira RJ, Mãgalhaes T, Queirós O, Proença JB, Moreira R, de Lourdes Bastos M, Carvalho F
Curr Drug Abuse Rev 2015;8(2):86-103. doi: 10.2174/1874473708666150916113352. PMID: 26452450
Venous-predominant parenchymal arteriovenous malformation: a rare subtype with a venous drainage pattern mimicking developmental venous anomaly.
Im SH, Han MH, Kwon BJ, Ahn JY, Jung C, Park SH, Oh CW, Han DH
J Neurosurg 2008 Jun;108(6):1142-7. doi: 10.3171/JNS/2008/108/6/1142. PMID: 18518718

Diagnosis

Umbilical spider's web.
Bourseau S, Bastens B, Leclercq P
Acta Gastroenterol Belg 2022 Jul-Sep;85(3):542. doi: 10.51821/85.3.10418. PMID: 36198302
The potential lethality of caput medusae.
Russo M, Bolcato M, Aprile A
Med Sci Law 2021 Apr;61(2):155-157. Epub 2021 Jan 11 doi: 10.1177/0025802420986704. PMID: 33430691
Carotid-cavernous fistula from the perspective of an ophthalmologist A Review.
Jozef Č
Cesk Slov Oftalmol 2020 Fall;1(Ahead of print):1-8. doi: 10.31348/2020/8. PMID: 33086846
Reflectance Confocal Microscopy in Lentigo Maligna.
Gamo R, Pampín A, Floristán U
Actas Dermosifiliogr 2016 Dec;107(10):830-835. Epub 2016 Sep 7 doi: 10.1016/j.ad.2016.07.012. PMID: 27614735
The caput medusae of hypercoagulability.
Silver D, Vouyouka A
J Vasc Surg 2000 Feb;31(2):396-405. doi: 10.1016/s0741-5214(00)90170-8. PMID: 10664508

Therapy

The effects of alcohol and illicit drug use on the skin.
Jain NP, Shao K, Stewart C, Grant-Kels JM
Clin Dermatol 2021 Sep-Oct;39(5):772-783. Epub 2021 May 21 doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2021.05.005. PMID: 34785005
Signs and Related Mechanisms of Ethanol Hepatotoxicity.
Dinis-Oliveira RJ, Mãgalhaes T, Queirós O, Proença JB, Moreira R, de Lourdes Bastos M, Carvalho F
Curr Drug Abuse Rev 2015;8(2):86-103. doi: 10.2174/1874473708666150916113352. PMID: 26452450
Chronic Budd-Chiari syndrome, abdominal varices, and caput medusae in 2 patients with antiphospholipid syndrome.
Sciascia S, Mario F, Bertero MT
J Clin Rheumatol 2010 Sep;16(6):302. doi: 10.1097/RHU.0b013e3181ef7116. PMID: 20808175
Images in clinical medicine. Caput medusae.
Cohen SM
N Engl J Med 1999 Aug 5;341(6):419. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199908053410605. PMID: 10432326
Caput medusae: peristomal varices.
Thompson J
J ET Nurs 1993 Sep-Oct;20(5):216-9. PMID: 8110888

Prognosis

Umbilical spider's web.
Bourseau S, Bastens B, Leclercq P
Acta Gastroenterol Belg 2022 Jul-Sep;85(3):542. doi: 10.51821/85.3.10418. PMID: 36198302
The potential lethality of caput medusae.
Russo M, Bolcato M, Aprile A
Med Sci Law 2021 Apr;61(2):155-157. Epub 2021 Jan 11 doi: 10.1177/0025802420986704. PMID: 33430691
Tourniquet fixing prior to knot tying reduces forces during aortic valve replacement: experimental results from 18 surgeons.
Hartrumpf M, Sterner J, Schroeter F, Kuehnel RU, Laux ML, Braun C, Albes JM
Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 2020 Oct 1;31(4):446-453. doi: 10.1093/icvts/ivaa135. PMID: 32810214
Atypical presentation of a mediastinal mass in an adolescent: Critical care considerations.
Yester MA, Ajizian SJ
Pediatr Crit Care Med 2010 Jul;11(4):e44-7. doi: 10.1097/PCC.0b013e3181dde3dd. PMID: 20407398
Exsanguinating hemorrhage from a caput medusae: cutaneous variceal bleeding.
Bahner DR Jr, Holland RW 3rd
J Emerg Med 1992 Jan-Feb;10(1):19-23. doi: 10.1016/0736-4679(92)90005-e. PMID: 1629586

Clinical prediction guides

Assessment, diagnosis and treatment of peristomal skin lesions by remote imaging: An expert validation study.
García-Manzanares ME, Lancharro-Bermúdez M, Fernandez-Lasquetty-Blanc B, Hernández-Martínez A, Rodríguez-Almagro J, Caparros-Sanz MR
J Adv Nurs 2023 Feb;79(2):630-640. Epub 2022 Nov 17 doi: 10.1111/jan.15497. PMID: 36394252Free PMC Article
Infratentorial developmental venous anomaly concurrent with a cavernoma and dural arteriovenous fistula.
Hashikata H, Maki Y, Ishibashi R, Goto M, Toda H
J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2022 Sep;31(9):106608. Epub 2022 Jul 14 doi: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2022.106608. PMID: 35843054
Tourniquet fixing prior to knot tying reduces forces during aortic valve replacement: experimental results from 18 surgeons.
Hartrumpf M, Sterner J, Schroeter F, Kuehnel RU, Laux ML, Braun C, Albes JM
Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 2020 Oct 1;31(4):446-453. doi: 10.1093/icvts/ivaa135. PMID: 32810214
Evolution of a symptomatic diffuse developmental venous anomaly with progressive cerebral atrophy in an atypical case of Sturge-Weber syndrome.
Ohno K, Saito Y, Togawa M, Shinohara Y, Ito T, Sugano H, Itamura S, Nishimura Y, Tamasaki A, Maegaki Y
Brain Dev 2015 Sep;37(8):817-21. Epub 2014 Dec 26 doi: 10.1016/j.braindev.2014.12.003. PMID: 25547041
Angiographic detection and characterization of "cryptic venous anomalies" associated with spinal cord cavernous malformations using flat-panel catheter angiotomography.
Pearl MS, Chen JX, Gregg L, San Millàn D, Belzberg A, Jallo G, Gailloud P
Neurosurgery 2012 Sep;71(1 Suppl Operative):125-32. doi: 10.1227/NEU.0b013e31825d8f9a. PMID: 22596040

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