Liver Examination
Liver Examination - Related Videos
12:35
In vivo Liver Endocytosis Followed by Purification of Liver Cells by Liver Perfusion
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Cited by 14 •
2011
The study of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (SECs) must be performed with primary cells obtained from the animal as no cell lines exist. This method relies on liver digestion and differential centrifugation for SEC purification for subsequent culturing and experimentation.
12:13
Ex Situ Normothermic Machine Perfusion of Donor Livers
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Cited by 21 •
2015
Here we present a protocol describing oxygenated ex situ machine perfusion of donor liver grafts. This article contains a step by step protocol to procure and prepare the liver graft for machine perfusion, prepare the perfusion fluid, prime the perfusion machine and perform oxygenated normothermic machine perfusion of the liver graft.
20:06
The Comprehensive Infant Examination
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2023
Source: Heather Collette and Jaideep Talwalkar; Yale School of Medicine The newborn exam is important in establishing a baby's baseline health status as they enter the world. Newborn providers have the unique opportunity to evaluate a patient for the very first time. They are also tasked with identifying congenital anomalies that require early intervention to promote a long and healthy life for the child. Many newborn anomalies, such as heart defects, are noted on prenatal ultrasound. However,...
07:44
Ophthalmoscopic Examination
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2023
Source: Richard Glickman-Simon, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, MA The simplest ophthalmoscopes consist of an aperture to look through, a diopter indicator, and a disc for selecting lenses. The ophthalmoscope is primarily used to examine the fundus, or the inner wall of the posterior eye, which consists of the choroid, retina, fovea, macula, optic disc, and retinal vessels (Figure 1). The spherical eyeball...
09:24
Decellularization and Recellularization of Whole Livers
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Cited by 39 •
2011
Perfusion decellularization is a novel technique to produce whole liver scaffolds that retains the organ's extracellular matrix composition and microarchitecture. Herein, the method of preparing whole organ scaffolds using perfusion decellularization and subsequent repopulation with hepatocytes is described. Functional and transplantable liver grafts can be generated using this technique.
FAQs
These findings provide different clues rather than a diagnosis. Enlargement may suggest inflammation, congestion, obstruction, or malignancy, while tenderness can support concern for an active hepatobiliary process. An irregular surface may raise suspicion for structural disease, and a pulsatile liver can provide an additional clue. Clinicians must interpret these signs with the broader clinical picture.
Physical signs can indicate that further evaluation is needed, but they do not establish the underlying cause by themselves. Symptoms and medical history add clinical context, while laboratory testing and imaging can assess the liver and hepatobiliary system more directly. Combining these sources reduces reliance on a single bedside finding when planning investigation or management.
Auscultation may identify vascular or friction sounds that are not detected through inspection, palpation, or percussion. These sounds add another type of bedside information about the region being assessed and may support concern for hepatobiliary disease or another local process. Because they are clues rather than definitive findings, clinicians interpret them with the rest of the assessment.
The assessment focuses on the liver’s size, surface, tenderness, and whether it feels pulsatile. These characteristics help clinicians recognize patterns that may be associated with inflammation, congestion, obstruction, or malignancy. Evaluating several features together is more informative than focusing on enlargement alone, because the combination of findings can influence the need for additional investigation.
A clinician begins with inspection and then uses abdominal palpation and percussion to assess the liver region. Palpation helps evaluate features such as tenderness, surface character, and pulsatility, while percussion contributes to assessment of size. Auscultation may be added when vascular or friction sounds are relevant. Findings are then considered alongside the patient’s clinical information.
Its main value is as a low-cost bedside assessment when hepatobiliary disease or systemic illness is being considered. The findings can help determine whether laboratory testing, imaging, or other investigation should follow. It also provides an immediate clinical context for symptoms and history, supporting decisions about the urgency and direction of further patient management.
A physical examination finding cannot by itself confirm a specific liver or hepatobiliary diagnosis. Enlargement, tenderness, irregularity, or pulsatility may provide clues to several different processes, including inflammation, congestion, obstruction, or malignancy. For that reason, clinicians correlate the examination with symptoms, medical history, laboratory results, and imaging before reaching conclusions or choosing management.