Air in the portal vein: Not so dangerous in certain situations. A case report of portal vein air due to cow milk allergy

Abstract

Background: Air in the portal vein in ultrasound reports is worrisome for the clinician as it might indicate bowel wall disintegration. However, with the advent of ultrasound technology, detection of subtle findings became possible and more benign causes of the portal vein are encountered in the clinical practice. Case: A benign case was presented in this report. The patient was an example of mucosal integrity disruption due to cow milk allergy. Conclusion: Although portal vein air is traditionally an ominous sign and should alert the clinician about catastrophic conditions, the clinician should also be aware of more benign etiologies.before taking radical actions.