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Benign prostate Hypertrophy in summary

Caput medusae is the name for a cluster of swollen veins in your abdomen. The swelling usually appears around the belly button, and the veins branch out from a central point. They are typically painless, but they are a symptom of circulatory problems that are often related to liver disease.‌

The term caput medusae is Latin for “head of Medusa.” Medusa was a character in mythology who had snakes for hair. The swollen veins can look like snakes extending from a knot in the middle that loosely resembles a head.

What Causes Caput Medusae?
The appearance of swollen veins around your belly button is a symptom of circulatory issues. The root cause of caput medusae is portal hypertension, which is an increase in pressure in the portal vein. That’s the vein that moves blood from your digestive tract to your liver.

When the portal vein is blocked, the blood volume increases in the surrounding blood vessels, and they turn into varicose veins. They bulge out and become visible under the skin. Varicose veins are also more fragile than typical veins and prone to bleeding.