Endoscopic injection sclerotherapy for esophageal variceal hemorrhage in a patient with idiopathic myelofibrosis

Jejunal variceal rupture in a patient with myelofibrosis: a case report

An 80-year old man with myelofibrosis and chronic renal disease was admitted to our hospital because of severe anemia and gastrointestinal bleeding. Although no bleeding was observed by upper or lower endoscopy, contrast-enhanced computed tomography revealed an enhanced area in the small intestinal wall that was suspected of being the bleeding site, and was confirmed by double-balloon endoscopy. Based on endoscopic findings, it was difficult to differentiate between variceal rupture and collapse of a submucosal tumor. We performed segmental resection of the small intestine to make a definitive diagnosis and achieve reliable hemostasis. The gross findings confirmed a variceal rupture from the small intestine. His gastrointestinal bleeding stopped and his anemia improved following surgery. Although some cases of portal hypertension in association with myelofibrosis have been reported, we are aware of no prior reports of variceal rupture in the small intestine. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of ectopic jejunal varices in a patient with myelofibrosis.

Myelofibrosis and Portal Hypertension: The Case for Primary Variceal Screening

Myelofibrosis is a hematologic condition that predisposes to the formation of large and small portal venous clots. Portal injury is believed to underlie the mechanism of development of noncirrhotic portal hypertension in this population. We describe a patient with myelofibrosis, proven portal hypertension, and extramedullary hematopoiesis with no imaging or pathologic evidence of microvascular or macrovascular portal clot. We provide a concise review of the literature which highlights that patients with myelofibrosis and related conditions of polycythemia vera and essential thrombocytosis present not infrequently with portal hypertension and variceal bleeding. We propose this population may benefit from primary variceal screening.

Clinical features of patients with Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms complicated by portal hypertension

BACKGROUND

Portal hypertension has been reported to afflict 7% to 18% of patients with Philadelphia-negative MPNs, with complications of variceal bleeding and ascites. The clinical features and outcomes of these patients are unclear.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this multicenter retrospective study, we evaluated the clinical features of 51 patients with MPNs complicated by PHTN.

RESULTS

The diagnosis of underlying MPN was most frequently PV (39%) and primary MF (35%), followed by post-PV MF (18%), ET (4%), and post-ET MF (4%). Frequency of Janus Kinase 2 V617F mutation appears as expected in the underlying MPN. Thrombosis within the splanchnic circulation was prevalent in patients with polycythemia compared with other MPNs (76% vs. 26%; P = .0007).

CONCLUSION

PV and MF patients have a greater incidence of PHTN in our population, with thrombosis contributing to PHTN development in PV patients. Patients with splanchnic circulation thrombosis are potential candidates for screening for PHTN. These data might be useful for developing screening strategies for early detection of PHTN in patients with MPN.

Portal hypertension and myeloproliferative neoplasms: a relationship revealed

Background/Objectives. Patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms have a well-established increased risk of thrombosis. Many trials report identification of an underlying myeloproliferative neoplasm by investigation of the patients developing portal hypertensive esophagus and/or fundus variceal hemorrhage in the absence of any known etiology. This trial was designed to investigate the association between myeloproliferative neoplasms and portal hypertension and to detect the frequency of portal hypertension development in this subset of patients. Methodology. Twenty-nine patients previously diagnosed with polycythemia vera, essential thrombocytopenia, and primary myelofibrosis, who were under followup at the hematology outpatient clinic of our hospital, were included in the trial. Results. In our trial, we detected portal hypertension in 13.8% of the patients (n = 4), as a finding that was similar to those obtained in other studies performed to date. Conclusions. Considering the fact that diagnosis of myeloproliferative neoplasms usually takes a long time, treatment should be started (while, on the other hand, assessing the investigational and therapeutical choices for the complications) right after the bone marrow biopsy or cytogenetic studies required for establishing the final diagnosis have been performed.

Acute variceal bleeding in a patient with idiopathic myelofibrosis successfully treated with endoscopic variceal band ligation and chemotherapy: a case report

Introduction

Idiopathic myelofibrosis is a chronic myeloproliferative disorder characterized by leukoerythroblastosis, massive splenomegaly, and increases in the reticular and collagen fibers in the bone marrow. Portal hypertension is observed in some patients with idiopathic myelofibrosis. Gastrointestinal hemorrhages, which are due mostly to the rupture of the esophageal varices, have been sporadically reported to be an infrequent complication of idiopathic myelofibrosis.

Case presentation

We report a case of a Japanese 63-year-old woman with myelofibrosis and variceal hemorrhage, with a background of concomitant portal and pulmonary hypertension. She was successfully treated through a combination of endoscopic variceal ligation and chemotherapy.

Conclusion

This is the first known report on the successful application of endoscopic variceal ligation and chemotherapy as the therapeutic procedure for an esophageal variceal hemorrhage in a patient with myelofibrosis.

Portal hypertension secondary to myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia: A study of 13 cases

AIM: To describe the clinical presentation and complications of portal hypertension (PH) secondary to myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia (MMM).

METHODS: Medical records for 123 patients with MMM were reviewed.

RESULTS: Thirteen patients with PH secondary to MMM were identified. Median ages at time of MMM and PH diagnosis were 61 and 66 years, respectively. The interval from MMM diagnosis to presentation with one of the PH features ranged from 1 to 11 years. Variceal bleeding and ascites were the most common presentations. Of the eight patients who presented with variceal bleeding, six patients underwent endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) with no variceal recurrence or hematological worsening during a 12-mo follow up period.

CONCLUSION: Patients with MMM might develop PH. Exact mechanisms leading to PH in MMM are still controversial. As in other etiologies, variceal bleeding and ascites are the most common presentations. Anemia may correlate with, and/or predict, the severity of the PH presentation in these patients. EVL can successfully control variceal bleeding in MMM. Further clinical studies are required.

Prenatal infantile cortical hyperostosis (Caffey's disease): a 'hepatic myeloid hyperplasia-pulmonary hypoplasia sequence' can explain the lethality of early onset cases

BACKGROUND

Infantile cortical hyperostosis (ICH) is benign and self-limiting when it presents near or after birth but is usually lethal when it presents earlier.

METHODS

We present the clinical, ultrasonic, radiographic and pathologic findings in an instructive case of early onset prenatal ICH.

RESULTS

A 40-year-old G2P1 woman delivered spontaneously at 22 weeks' gestation. Prenatal ultrasounds showed rib and mandibular abnormalities as well as short humeri. Post-mortem radiographs showed asymmetric hyperostosis in long bones, mandible, scapulae and pelvis with sparing of spine, hands, feet and skull. The affected skeleton showed marked bony sclerosis and ballooning of the diaphyses of the long bones with periosteal sclerosis. A complete autopsy showed characteristic histologic findings in affected bones. Previous reports at 20+ weeks have described anasarca, fetal hydrops, hepatomegaly, and pulmonary hypoplasia. In our case, there was no hydrops/anasarca; hepatomegaly, due to massive extramedullary hematopoiesis with marked myeloid hyperplasia, combined with ribcage abnormalities, caused mild pulmonary hypoplasia.

CONCLUSION

We hypothesize that early onset fetal ICH is usually lethal because massive hepatic myeloid hyperplasia sequentially causes: (1) hepatomegaly and, in conjunction with rib abnormalities, mild pulmonary hypoplasia, (2) sinusoidal and pre-sinusoidal portal hypertension followed by ascites/hydrops, and (3) ascites/hydrops-induced severe pulmonary hypoplasia.