Abdo (Imperial Jan Revision Course) Flashcards















liver disease; eamination findings
• Chronic liver disease
– Palmar erythema
– Dupuyten’s contracture
– Spider naevi
• Portal hypertension
– Ascites
– Caput medusae
– Enlarged abdominal veins
– Associated splenomegaly
• Liver failure /decompensation
– Asterixis
– Foetor hepaticus
– Bruising
– Gynaecomastia
– Ascites/Oedema
– Low JVP
• Why is it a liver?
– RUQ mass, moves with respiration, can’t get above it, can palpate the lower edge at….
CLD; Stable chronic liver disease with portal HTN
PRESENT
Present your findings – “Mr Smirnoff is a 78 year old russian gentleman who is sitting comfortably at rest with palmar erythema, dupuytren’s contracture and spider naevi. He has an enlarged liver felt 3 fb below the costal margin, and prominent abdominal veins. However he has no asterixis, bruising or other signs of decompensation. These findings would be consistent with chronic liver disease with associated portal hypertension, but without signs of acute decompensation”
Hepatosplenomegaly
PACES; Differentia diagnosis
• Distinguish between liver disease as a cause and other conditions
– Haematologic
– myeloproloferative disease, leukaemia, sickle cell disease, myelofibrosis
– Infection
– malaria, leishmaniasis!
– Other
– amyloidosis, metabolic disorders
- Main differential is liver disease with portal hypertension from haematologic disease in PACES
- Again the key is looking for peripheral signs
Isolated Splenomegaly
PACES; differential diagnosis
- This is rare
- Mainly haematologic disease for PACES
– Myelofibrosis
– CML
– CLL
– Lymphoma
– PRV
• Malaria, leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis
Big kidneys
PACES Differential diagnosis
Big kidneys
- Bilateral palpable kidneys = Polycystic kidney disease
- Single palpable kidney = very rare
- For these patients check for signs of renal replacement therapy – either CAPD catheter or fistula for haemodialysis (NB is fistula functional?)
- Also check for a renal transplant – often in the iliac fossa
Renal transplant
PACES; eamination
- Smooth firm mass – often in the iliac fossa
- Associated with a scar!
- Check for signs of previous renal replacement therapy
- Look for old fistulae (scarred) / scars from CAPD catheter insertion