Medicine Notes - Clinical Examination - Hepatomegaly
Hepatomegaly
The causes of hepatomegaly or liver enlargement are congestive cardiac failure, infective hepatitis, cirrhosis, malignancy, alcoholic hepatitis and lymphoproliferative disorder.
Generally patient with hepatomegaly may present with leuconychia, liver flap, cachexia and palmar erythema as well as jaundice and pallor. Patient may suffer from low blood pressure.There will be gynecomastia, spider nevi and lymphadenopathy. The abdomen is distended. Liver is palpable. The liver may be soft, hard or irregular in term of surface on palpating. Liver dullness is detected on percussion. Patient may present with edema if the cause of hepatomegaly is right heart failure.
Hepatomegaly cases should be investigated to identify the underlying causes. The form of investigations require are full blood count, hepatitis serology, liver function test, urea and electrolytes, ultrasound of the abdomen, liver biopsy and liver biopsy.
The complications of hepatomegaly may include impair liver function with deranged in clotting function, encephalopathy, hepatorenal failure, thrombocytopenia, low albumin and hyponatremia.
The causes of hepatomegaly or liver enlargement are congestive cardiac failure, infective hepatitis, cirrhosis, malignancy, alcoholic hepatitis and lymphoproliferative disorder.
Generally patient with hepatomegaly may present with leuconychia, liver flap, cachexia and palmar erythema as well as jaundice and pallor. Patient may suffer from low blood pressure.There will be gynecomastia, spider nevi and lymphadenopathy. The abdomen is distended. Liver is palpable. The liver may be soft, hard or irregular in term of surface on palpating. Liver dullness is detected on percussion. Patient may present with edema if the cause of hepatomegaly is right heart failure.
Hepatomegaly cases should be investigated to identify the underlying causes. The form of investigations require are full blood count, hepatitis serology, liver function test, urea and electrolytes, ultrasound of the abdomen, liver biopsy and liver biopsy.
The complications of hepatomegaly may include impair liver function with deranged in clotting function, encephalopathy, hepatorenal failure, thrombocytopenia, low albumin and hyponatremia.
