Pregnancy in the Setting of Asymptomatic Non-Cirrhotic Chronic Portal Vein Thrombosis Complicated by Pre-Eclampsia

Işık Üstüner,Şenol Şentürk,Remzi Adnan Akdoğan,Emine Seda Güvendağ Güven,Elif Akdoğan,Filiz Taşçı,Figen Kır Şahin

doi:10.1155/2013/984271

Işık Üstüner, Şenol Şentürk + Show 5 more

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https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/984271

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Abstract

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) can be chronic or acute in nature; it is characterized by a thrombus formation in the main portal vein and/or its right or left branches. Herein, we present a 36-year-old woman with asymptomatic noncirrhotic chronic PVT who developed preeclampsia in the later stage of pregnancy. This report will emphasize the clinical differential diagnosis, outcome, and management of pregnancies complicated by noncirrhotic PVT.

Highlights

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) can be chronic or acute in nature; it is characterized by thrombus formation in the main portal vein and/or its right or left branches
The extension of PVT to the mesenteric venous arches carries a high risk of the intestinal infarction, a serious complication with a reported mortality rate of 20–60% [1, 3]
Chronic PVT generally presents as repeated episodes of variceal bleeding, asymptomatic splenomegaly or features of hypersplenism and, rarely, as jaundice and ascites [5]

Summary

Introduction

Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) can be chronic or acute in nature; it is characterized by thrombus formation in the main portal vein and/or its right or left branches. Chronic PVT is characterized either by the rapid development of portoportal collaterals around the thrombosed portal vein which bypasses the obstructed venous segment or by a thin, contracted, and recanalized portal vein measuring less than 8 mm in diameter. Chronic PVT can be asymptomatic or may present with a portal cavernoma, portal hypertension, cholestasis, splenomegaly, ascites, gastroesophageal varices, and pancytopenia [4]. Fatal gastrointestinal bleeding due to portal hypertension or subclinical hepatic encephalopathy due to massive portosystemic shunting, recurrent thrombosis, and portal biliopathy (deformation of the biliary lumen) are some of the rare but feared complications of chronic PVT [1]. The report will emphasize the clinical differential diagnosis, outcome, and management of pregnancies complicated by noncirrhotic PVT

Case Report

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Discussion