Screening for Hepatic, Biliary, & Hematologic Disease (Exam 2) Flashcards
What organs are included in the hepatic and biliary system? (3)
- Liver
- Gallbladder
- Common Bile duct
MSK symptoms associated with hepatic & biliary disease most often refer to? (3)
- Mid-back
- Scapular
- R shoulder
Signs and Symptoms of Hepatic/Biliary disease (5)
- Skin and nail bed changes
- Musculoskeletal pain
- Neurologic symptoms
- Gastrointestinal symptoms
- Ascities
Skin and nail bed changes with hepatic/biliary disease (8)
- Jaundice, pallor and orange/green skin (specific to hepatic)
- Sclera changes (specific to hepatic)
- Skin changes
- Pruritus (itching)
- Bruising
- Spider angiomas
- Palmar erythema
- Nails of Terry
What is a spider angioma?
Permanently enlarged and dilated capillaries visible on the surface of the skin caused by vascular dilation
Common in pts with liver impairment as a result of increased estrogen levels that are normally detoxified by the liver
Palmar erythema
Warm redness of the skin over the palms
Due to extensive collection of arteriovenous anastomoses
May c/o throbbing or tingling in the palms
Nails of Terry
Opaque nail plate with a narrow line of pink at the distal end instead of the more normal pink nail plate in the Caucasian
MSK pain associated with hepatic and biliary systems (5)
- Thoracic pain between shoulder blades
- R shoulder
- R upper trapezius
- R interscapular
- R subscapular
Rhabdomyolysis
- Potentially fatal condition
- Myoglobin and other muscle tissue contents released in bloodstream as result of muscle tissue disintegration
- May occur with acute trauma, severe burns, overexertion or liver impairment secondary to alcohol abuse, alcohol poisoning or statins
Neuro signs and the hepatic system
Secondary to increased serum ammonia and urea levels because of liver dysfunction
Confusion, sleep disturbances, muscle tremors, hyper-reactive reflexes, numbness/tingling and asterixis
Correlation exists between liver disease and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome
Asterixis
- Outward sign of liver disease
- Also called flapping tremors or liver flap
- Inability to maintain wrist extension with forward flexion of UE
If someone has bilateral carpal tunnel what questions should you ask them to determine if they might have a hepatic system issue? (5)
- Ask about similar symptoms in the feet (bilateral tarsal tunnel)
- Ask about personal history of liver or hepatic disease
- Look for history of alcoholism
- Ask about current or previous use of statins
- Look for other signs of liver impairment
GI symptoms for hepatic/biliary disease (6)
- Light-colored stool (almost white)
- Potential causes
- Gallbladder disease
- Hepatotoxic medications
- Pancreatic cancer blocking bile duct
- Potential causes
- Urine the color of tea or cola
Ascites
Accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, causing abdominal swelling
Sign of hepatic disease
What are 3 hepatic patholgies? What is 1 biliary patholgy?
Hepatic:
- Hepatitis
- Cirrhosis
- Liver Cancer
Biliary:
- Cholelithiasis
Hepatitis
Acute or chronic inflammation of the liver
Caused by virus, a chemical, a drug reaction, alcohol abuse, or secondary to a disease condition
Viral Hepatitis:
- Acute infections inflammation of the liver caused by one of the following viruses: A, B, C, D, E and G
- Hep A and E most commonly spread via fecal-oral route
- Hep B, C, D, and G are primarily blood borne pathogens
Top 5 Risk factors for Hepatitis
- Injection drug use
- Liver transplant recepient
- Healthcare worker exposed to blood products or body fluids
- Severe alcoholism
- Travel to high risk areas
Other Risk factors for hepatitis (9)
- Acupuncture
- Tattoo inscription or removal
- Ear or body piercing
- Recent operative procedure
- Blood or plasma transfusion before 1991
- Hemodyalsis
- Exposure to certain chemicals or medications
- Unprotected homosexual/bisexual activity
- Consumption of raw shellfish
Signs and symptoms of chronic hepatitis (11)
- May refer pain to thoracic spine, R upper trap or R shoulder
- Fatigue
- Jaundice
- Abdominal pain
- Anorexia
- Arthralgia
- Fever
- Splenomegaly and hepatomegaly
- Weakness
- Ascites
- Hepatic encephalopathy
Cirrhosis (4)
- Chronic hepatic disease
- Characterized by destruction of liver cells and replacement of tissue with fibrous bands
- With increased scaring comes impaired blood and lymph flow causing hepatic insufficiency
- Causes vary but most common cause is alcohol abuse
Clinical signs and symptoms of cirrhosis (12)
- May refer pain to thoracic spine, R upper trap or R shoulder
- Mild R upper quadrant pain
- GI symptoms
- Anorexia
- Indigestion
- Weight loss
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea or constipation
- Dull abdominal ache
- Ease of fatigue (with mild exertion)
- Weakness
- Fever
Liver Cancer
what commonly causes liver cancer?
What cancers commonly metastasize to liver? 3)
What are 3 other cancers that might metastasize to the liver?
What other condition is liver cancer often associated with?
- More common that liver tumors are due to metastasis
- Stomach, colorectal and pancreas common to metastasize to liver
- Liver filters blood coming from GI tract
- Other primary cancers that metastasize
- Esophagus
- Lung
- Breast
- Primary liver tumors often associated with cirrhosis
Clinical signs and symptoms of liver neoplasm (8)
- May refer pain to thoracic spine, R upper trap or R shoulder
- Jaundice
- Progressive failure of health
- Anorexia/weight loss
- Overall muscular weakness
- Epigastric fullness and pain or discomfort
- Constant ache in the epigastrum or mid-back
- Early satiety
Liver percussion test
Patient Position: Supine
Examiner Position: Standing to right side of pt.
Dummy Hand: Over anteriolateral surface of right inferior ribs
Percuss with fist on dorsum of dummy hand
Abnormal Findings: Tenderness with percussion
Cholelithiasis
- The presence or formation of gallstones
- Gallstones: stone like masses aka calculi
- Possibly result of changes in normal components of bile
- Problems arise if stone leaves gallbladder and causes obstruction somewhere else
- Incidence increases with age
5 F’s associated with gallstones
- Fat
- Fair
- Forty (or older)
- Female (Secondary to elevated estrogen)
- Flatulent