Management of variceal bleeding in patients with extrahepatic portal vein thrombosis

Update on gastric varices

Although less common than oesophageal variceal haemorrhage, gastric variceal bleeding remains a serious complication of portal hypertension, with a high associated mortality. In this review we provide an update on the aetiology, classification and management of gastric varices, including acute bleeding, prevention of rebleeding and primary prophylaxis. We describe the optimum management strategies for gastric varices including drug, endoscopic and radiological therapies, focusing on recent published evidence.

[Essential thrombocythaemia as a causative agent of portal vein thrombosis--a case report]

INTRODUCTION

Thrombosis of splanchnic blood vessels is one of the most difficult complications and most frequent causes of death in patients with myeloproliferative disorders.

CASE OUTLINE

We report a 48-year-old man with recurring haemorrhage from the upper digestive tract. Doppler ultrasonography of the portal system revealed a thrombosed portal vein, with marginal flow of 10 cm/s. Peroral fiber panendoscopy of the oesophagus showed III-IV degree varices together with varices in the stomach fundus. Blood count revealed thrombocytosis (Pt. 900 x 109/l), and haematological analysis led to the diagnosis of essential thrombocythaemia. However, two years after the established diagnosis, the patient was hospitalized again for bleeding from esophageal varicosity. During haemorrhage, anticoagulant therapy was discontinued. Eight days after anticoagulant discontinuation, mesenterial thrombosis and small intestinal gangrene developed. Surgical intervention was carried out, including resection of 2.5 m of the small intestine. In spite of intensive postoperative therapy, the lethal outcome ensued.

CONCLUSION

The bleeding from oesophageal and/or gastric varicosity is often the presenting manifestation of up to that time undetected myeloproliferative disease. The following question still remains open: should anticoagulant therapy be continued in the phase of acute bleeding of these patients?

[Myeloproliferative diseases as causative agents of portal and hepatic veins thrombosis]

Thrombosis of portal and hepatic veins is one of the most severe complications and most important causes of death of patients with chronic myeloproliferative diseases. Based on results of the past studies, myeloproliferative diseases were the causes of hepatic veins thrombosis in 30% and portal vein thrombosis in 20% of patients. The study presented 4 patients with myeloproliferative diseases complicated by thrombosis of splanchnic veins, aiming at the illustration of issue complexity in diagnostics and therapy. Two patients with portal vein thrombosis and recurring hemorrhage from esophageal varicosity were described. The first case was planned for shunting, while another case sustained bleeding on what account his anticoagulant therapy was discontinued, but it caused mesenterial thrombosis resulting in lethal outcome. Another two patients had hepatic veins thrombosis. Due to frequent, life-threatening bleeding from the esophageal and gastric varices, a patient with chronic Budd-Chiari syndrome and lineal vein thrombosis underwent mesocaval shunting. An immediate postoperative period was manifested by multiple thrombosis and hemorrhages that ended in his death. A patient with the acute Budd-Chiari syndrome was administered myelosuppressants and anticoagulants on time so reperfusion was restored. In myeloproliferative diseases, thrombosis of portal and hepatic veins gives rise to excessive portal hypertension with profuse hemorrhage from the esophageal and gastric varicosity which is difficult to manage because of complex coagulation disorders.

Extrahepatic portal vein morphology in children with extrahepatic portal hypertension assessed by 3-dimensional computed tomographic portography: a new etiology of extrahepatic portal hypertension

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

The cause of extrahepatic portal hypertension in children has not been clarified. Our aim was to determine the morphological features of the extrahepatic portal vein in children with extrahepatic portal hypertension by 3-dimensional computed tomographic portography and to clarify the etiology of this disorder.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Six patients ranging in age from 10 to 18 years (median age, 12.8 years) who had portal hypertension presented with hematemesis. They underwent intravenous computed tomographic portography using a helical computed tomography scanner and 3-dimensional image reconstruction.

RESULTS

The extrahepatic portal vein was visualized in all patients by 3-dimensional computed tomographic portography. None of the patients showed extrahepatic portal vein obstruction or cavernous transformation. All patients had a tortuous eta-shaped extrahepatic portal vein, and a line could be drawn through the flexures of the portal vein to the hepatic hilum.

CONCLUSION

In children, extrahepatic portal hypertension is not caused by extrahepatic portal vein obstruction and may be of embryological origin.

Cavernous transformation of the portal vein associated to multiorgan developmental abnormalities

Initial diagnosis of cavernous transformation of the portal vein (portal cavernoma) is rarely made in adults. Its main clinical manifestation is upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage due to variceal bleeding. More rarely, diagnosis is made from obstructive jaundice. In children, this condition is frequently associated to prehepatic portal hypertension and congenital anomalies, the most frequent of which are atrial septal defects or malformations of the biliary tract or of the inferior vena cava. We describe here a case of a 23-year-old female presenting with massive hematemesis due to the presence of esophageal and small intestinal varices. She had a cavernous transformation of the portal vein with prehepatic portal hypertension associated with heretofore unreported malformations such as right pulmonary hypoplasia, cardiac dextroposition, and right renal ectopia. A unifying hypothesis (e.g. an intrauterine vascular insult) to explain the pathogenesis of these defects seems unlikely. Appropriate tests failed to identify specific functional abnormalities in these organs. Although she bled more than once, the combination of sclerotherapy and beta-blockers has been, thus far, able to control the major clinical consequences of this disease.

Bleeding esophagogastric varices from extrahepatic portal hypertension: 40 years' experience with portal-systemic shunt

BACKGROUND

This article discusses the largest and longest experience reported to date of the use of portal-systemic shunt (PSS) to treat recurrent bleeding from esophagogastric varices caused by extrahepatic portal hypertension associated with portal vein thrombosis (PVT).

STUDY DESIGN

Two hundred consecutive children and adults with extrahepatic portal hypertension caused by PVT who were referred between 1958 and 1998 after recovering from at least two episodes of bleeding esophagogastric varices requiring blood transfusions were managed according to a well-defined and uniformly applied protocol. All but 14 of the 200 patients were eligible for and received 5 or more years of regular followup (93%); 166 were eligible for and received 10 or more years of regular followup (83%).

RESULTS

The etiology of PVT was unknown in 65% of patients. Identifiable causes of PVT were neonatal omphalitis in 30 patients (15%), umbilical vein catheterization in 14 patients (7%), and peritonitis in 14 patients (7%). The mean number of bleeding episodes before PSS was 5.4 (range 2 to 18). Liver biopsies showed normal morphology in all patients. The site of PVT was the portal vein alone in 134 patients (76%), the portal vein and adjacent superior mesenteric vein in 10 patients (5%), and the portal and splenic veins in 56 patients (28%). Postoperative survival to leave the hospital was 100%. Actuarial 5-year, 10-year, and 15-year survival rates were 99%, 97%, and 95%, respectively. Five patients (2.5%), all with central end-to-side splenorenal shunts, developed thrombosis of the PSS, and these were the only patients who had recurrent variceal bleeding. During 10 or more years of followup, 97% of the eligible patients were shown to have a patent shunt and were free of bleeding. No patient developed portal-systemic encephalopathy, liver function tests remained normal, liver biopsies in 100 patients showed normal architecture, hypersplenism was corrected.

CONCLUSION

PSS is the only consistently effective therapy for bleeding esophagogastric varices from PVT and extrahepatic portal hypertension, resulting in many years of survival, freedom from recurrent bleeding, normal liver function, and no encephalopathy.

Triplex operation for children with extrahepatic portal hypertension

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

How to deal with the vexatious problem of esophageal and gastric varices secondary to extrahepatic portal hypertension has been discussed extensively among pediatric surgeons around the world. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of triplex operation (splenopneumopexy, portal azygous devascularization, and ligation of splenic artery) for children with portal hypertension in the author's hospital.

METHODS

From March 1993 to November 1998, 7 children with extrahepatic portal hypertension were admitted to the author's hospital to undergo triplex operation. The diagnoses of these patients were confirmed by gastroscopy, barium meal, and Doppler ultrasonography. The number of white blood cells and platelets and the hepatic function were checked before and after operation. And the free portal pressures (FPP) were checked before and after the ligation of the splenic artery. All patients underwent follow-up for 1 to 7 years (mean, 4.6 years). The episodes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding were recorded. The degree of varices of distal esophagus and proximal stomach were assessed by barium meal and gastroscopy. The diameters of the spleenic and portal vein were obtained by B ultrasonography. The portopulmonary shunt and portal blood flow were evaluated by color Doppler flow image (CDFI). The indices of hemorheology such as hematocrit, viscosity of whole blood and plasma, and the indexes of deformability and aggregability of red blood cells were obtained through viscometer (R-20 Seerle, Beijing, China).

RESULTS

There was no operative mortality in this group. Postoperatively, hemorrhage from the esophagus and gastric varices was completely controlled. Although the diameter of spleen reduced progressively, no patient's spleen recovered to normal during the follow-up period. The degree of varices was mitigated, and the FPP was decreased significantly to 34.48 +/- 5.71 cm H(2)O from the preoperative 42.62 +/- 6.72 cm H(2)O (P <.05). The rate of portal flow also was decreased. The direction of portal vein was bidirection (one part was away from the liver and the other was toward the liver). The numbers of white blood cells and platelets were increased. The viscosities of whole blood and hematocrit also were increased after operation.

CONCLUSION

The triplex operation is an effective procedure for the control of hemorrhage from varices in children with extrahepatic portal hypertension.

Symptomatic spleno-mesenteric-portal venous thrombosis: recanalization and reconstruction with endovascular stents

PURPOSE

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of portal reconstruction in patients with symptomatic spleno-mesenteric-portal venous thrombosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Portal reconstruction was attempted in 21 patients (seven women, 14 men; mean age, 53.6 years +/- 15.2) with chronic thrombosis of the portal vein alone (n = 8), splenic vein alone (n = 3), or portal, mesenteric, and splenic veins (n = 10). Indications for the procedure were bleeding varices (n = 15), ascites (n = 2), hypersplenism (n = 2), and enteropathy (n = 2). Sixteen procedures were started transhepatically and of these seven were converted to a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) after successful recanalization of the thrombosed vein. In six patients reconstructions were performed using an intrahepatic portal vein as outflow. Five procedures were performed primarily as TIPS. Wallstents dilated to 7-10 mm were used for reconstruction. The mean follow-up period was 15.2 months +/- 15.9.

RESULTS

Technical success of portal reconstruction was 85.7% (18 of 21). Thirty-day mortality was 14.3% (three of 21) but was not procedural related. The cumulative rates of survival, primary patency, and palliation at 43 months of follow-up were 61.2% +/- 13.5%, 63.5% +/- 15.3%, and 31.7% +/- 15.7%, respectively. Secondary patency was 79.1% +/- 13.8%. The only predictor of mortality was the presence of liver disease (P = .001, Cox regression).

CONCLUSION

Portal reconstruction is a safe and effective treatment option for patients with symptomatic chronic portal thrombosis. Liver disease predisposes to a higher mortality.

Direct bypassing of extrahepatic portal venous obstruction in children: a new technique for combined hepatic portal revascularization and treatment of extrahepatic portal hypertension

BACKGROUND

Decompression of extrahepatic portal hypertension by directly bypassing the thrombosed portal vein has never been reported in cases of children with idiopathic (or neonatal) portal vein obstruction and cavernoma.

METHODS

Seven children (15 years or younger) with portal vein obstruction requiring surgical decompression (urgently in two cases), and in whom preoperative Doppler had shown that the intrahepatic portal branches were hypoplastic but free of thrombus, were included in a pilot study. The cavernoma was bypassed by interposing a venous jugular autograft between the superior mesenteric vein and the distal portion of the left portal vein. Patients received follow-up using routine clinical parameters, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, and Doppler ultrasound.

RESULTS

The mesenterico-portal bypass restored a direct (physiological) hepatopetal portal flow. The operation resulted in effective portal decompression as demonstrated by decrease of the pressure gradient, rapid regression of clinical signs of portal hypertension, and definitive control of bleeding.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that direct bypassing of portal cavernoma is possible and results in effective portal decompression. Restoration of the hepatic portal flow is a major advantage compared with conventional surgical shunting procedures. This new technique is potentially applicable to two thirds of children with portal vein thrombosis and should be considered when shunting procedures are indicated.

Non-conventional portosystemic shunts in children with extrahepatic portal vein obstruction

Portal hypertension due to extrahepatic portal vein obstruction is ideally treated by the use of a selective shunt. In a four year period between July 1987 and June 1992, 50 surgical procedures were carried out in 48 children with portal hypertension-related variceal hemorrhage. The portal, splenic, mesenteric, or coronary vein was not available for anastomosis in four children who, therefore, underwent non-conventional shunts which are described here. There was no postoperative mortality. One patient had a repeat gastrointestinal hemorrhage, probably due to stenosis of the shunt and failure to ligate the coronary vein. No rebleeding occurred on follow-up of at least 18 months. We conclude that in selected children requiring surgery for portal hypertension due to extrahepatic portal venous obstruction, a non-conventional shunt may be used with beneficial results.

Long-term results after nonshunt operations for esophageal varices in children

The clinical results of nonshunt operations for esophageal varices in 15 children were evaluated. The varices were caused by congenital extrahepatic portal obstruction (EHPO) in 10, liver cirrhosis or fibrosis (C/F) in 3, and idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH) in 2. The operative procedures were transthoracic esophageal transection with paraesophageal devascularization (TR) for 2 EHPO patients under 5 years of age, TR combined with splenectomy and paragastric devascularization (Sugiura procedure) for 11 (8 EHPO, 3 C/F), and splenectomy with devascularization (SP) or splenectomy for the 2 IPH patients. In the EHPO patient under 5 years of age, TR is associated with a likelihood of gastric or esophageal hemorrhage resulting from hypersplenism, gastric congestion, or persistent distal esophageal varices, which can be treated with partial splenic arterial embolization (PSE), endosclerotherapy, or an additional abdominal procedure. The Sugiura procedure has provided satisfactory long-term results, without rebleeding from esophageal varices, in patients with EHPO and C/F for 1 to 20 years. But EHPO patients who undergo the Sugiura procedure before age 6 can have gastric hemorrhage, because of mucosal congestion, for more than 10 years after the procedure, and selective gastric arterial embolization (GAE) might be necessary. In some EHPO patients, especially young ones who have variceal bleeding, a significant increase in hepatopetal portal flow may not develop, but hepatofugal natural shunts may progress. Therefore we recommend direct operative procedures, ie, TR for patients < or = 6 years of age and a one- or two-stage Sugiura procedure for those over 7 years old.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Surgical management of extrahepatic portal hypertension and variceal bleeding

Variceal bleeding remains an important complication in extrahepatic portal vein thrombosis (EPVT). As for portal hypertension due to other etiologies, an elective treatment to decrease the risk of subsequent rebleeding is warranted. The results of the Sugiura-Futagawa procedure (SP) in 38 patients with variceal bleeding secondary to EPVT are reported: 20 women and 18 men, with a mean age of 28 +/- 2 years (SEM). Thirty-seven patients were classified as Child-Pugh class A, and one patient as class B. In terms of diagnosis, 45% of patients had idiopathic EPVT, and 18% had associated hypercoagulability disorders; 52% of patients had associated splenic vein thrombosis. The SP was completed in two surgical stages in 18 patients and in one surgical stage in 14; 6 patients had only the abdominal stage. One patient had mild postoperative encephalopathy, and three patients rebled at long-term follow-up study. There were two operative deaths. Actuarial survival was 70% at 64 months. It is concluded that the SP is an excellent alternative for patients with variceal bleeding secondary to EPVT.

Treatment of bleeding esophagogastric varices due to extrahepatic portal hypertension: results of portal-systemic shunts during 35 years

From 1958 to 1990, elective therapeutic portal-systemic shunt (PSS) procedures were performed for recurrent bleeding esophagogastric varices in 162 children and adults with extrahepatic portal hypertension (EHPH) resulting from portal vein thrombosis (PVT). The onset of EHPH was in childhood for at least 74% of patients. Of the 162 patients, 147 were eligible for and received 5 years of follow-up (100%), and 117 were eligible for and received 10 years of follow-up (100%). The longest follow-up was 35 years. The cause of PVT was unknown in 68%, neonatal omphalitis in 12%, umbilical vein catheterization in 8%, peritonitis in 6%, trauma in 4%, and thrombotic coagulopathy in 2%. The number of variceal bleeding episodes ranged from 2 to 18 (mean, 5.6). None of the patients had clinical, biochemical, or liver biopsy evidence of liver disease. Esophageal varices were demonstrated by endoscopy, and/or contrast x-rays, and/or angiography in all patients. Visceral angiography was always used to demonstrate the extent of portal obstruction and the veins available for shunting. Before referral, the following procedures had failed: endoscopic sclerotherapy (68 patients), splenectomy alone (32 patients), central splenorenal shunt with splenectomy (10 patients), transesophageal varix ligation (12 patients). Three types of PSS were used: (1) central side-to-side splenorenal without splenectomy (75 patients, 46%); (2) central end-to-side splenorenal with splenectomy (34 patients, 21%); and (3) mesocaval (end-to-side cavomesenteric) (53 patients, 33%). PSS reduced the mean corrected portal pressure from 292 to 28 mm saline. All patients survived the procedure and left the hospital (100%). The actuarial survival rate for 5 years is 99%, and for 10 years is 96%. Three of the 6 deaths were unrelated to EHPH or PSS. Shunt patency for up to 35 years was demonstrated in 98% of patients by angiography and/or ultrasonography. In four patients (2%), all of whom had end-to-side splenorenal shunts, shunt thrombosis and rebleeding developed 3, 4, 4, and 6 years (respectively) after PSS. There were the only patients who experienced rebleeding. A diligent and repeated effort was made to detect portal-systemic encephalopathy (PSE), and no instance of PSE was found during 3 to 35 years of follow-up. Liver function and morphology remained normal, and hypersplenism was corrected in all patients. Quality of life was good in 98% of patients, and 5 years after PSS 96% were gainfully employed, engaged in full-time homemaking, or attending school.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

A 15-year experience of injection sclerotherapy in adult patients with extrahepatic portal venous obstruction

OBJECTIVE

The authors report a 15-year experience with injection sclerotherapy in the management of adult and teenage patients with esophageal varices due to extrahepatic portal venous obstruction (EHPVO).

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

Extrahepatic portal venous obstruction is an uncommon cause of esophageal varices and is associated with normal liver function. Effective control of variceal bleeding is the major factor influencing survival. The results of surgery have been unsatisfactory, and therefore, more conservative management policies have been adopted.

METHODS

Fifty-five patients with proven EHPVO underwent repeated injection sclerotherapy via either a modified rigid esophagoscope under general anaesthesia or a fiber-optic endoscope under light sedation, using ethanolamine oleate as the sclerosant.

RESULTS

Esophageal varices were eradicated in 44 patients after a median number 6 injections (range 1-17) over a mean of 12.5 months (range 1-48). The mean follow-up was 6.8 years (range 1.1-14.6 years). Eleven patients were admitted on eighteen occasions with bleeding from esophageal varices before eradication and there were seven bleeding episodes in six patients from recurrent varices after initial eradication. Complications related to sclerotherapy included injection site leak (6), stenosis (11) and mucosal ulceration (32) during 362 injection sclerotherapy episodes. Four patients died during the study period.

CONCLUSIONS

Injection scelotherapy is the treatment of choice in most patients with EHPVO.