Portal vein thrombosis as a rare cause of abdominal pain: When to consider?
Cengiz Tavusbay, Erdinç Kamer, Turan Acar, İbrahim Kokulu, Haldun Kar, Özlem Gür
Abstract
Extrahepatic portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a rare condition that is characterized by the presence of thrombus within any segment of the portal vein, including the right and left intrahepatic branches. It may also extend to the splenic or superior mesenteric veins. Portal vein thrombosis may be related to cirrhosis or liver malignancy as well as to local inflammatory conditions in the abdomen and genetic or acquired thrombophilic diseases. Currently, PVT is being increasingly diagnosed due to advances in modern imaging techniques. The clinical presentation has a wide range, from an asymptomatic lesion to a potentially life-threatening situation. In this study, we present three patients with PVT. The diagnosis was made by radiologic and clinical findings. In the first patient, genetic testing revealed factor V Leiden mutation as the cause of PVT. The second patient was diagnosed with lupus anticoagulant syndrome as the cause of PVT. Portal vein thrombosis was associated with intra abdominal infection due to anastomotic leakage in the third patient. Two patients were successfully treated with anticoagulant therapy. This report emphasizes that even though PVT is a rare cause of abdominal pain, timely diagnosis and appropriate management is vital due to its lethal complications such as mesenteric ischemia and mesenteric infarct.
Keywords: Anti coagulation treatment, factor V Leiden mutation, portal vein thrombosis
Cite this paper as: Tavusbay C, Kamer E, Acar T, Kokulu İ, Kar H, Gür Ö. Portal vein thrombosis as a rare cause of abdominal pain: When to consider? Turk J Surg 2017; 33(2): 126-129
Written informed consent was obtained from patients who participated in this case.
Externally peer-reviewed.
Concept - C.T., E.K., T.A., İ.K., H.K., Ö.G.; Design - E.K., T.A., İ.K., H.K., Ö.G.; Supervision - E.K., T.A., İ.K., H.K., Ö.G.; Funding - C.T., T.A.; Materials - Ö.G., İ.K.; Data Collection and/or Processing - C.T., T.A.; Analysis and/or Interpretation - E.K., T.A.; Literature Review - C.T.; Writer - C.T., E.K.; Critical Review - T.A., İ.K., Ö.G.
No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.
The authors declared that this study has received no financial support.