Portal hypertensive duodenopathy manifesting as “kissing” duodenal ulcers in a nigerian with alcoholic cirrhosis: a case report and brief review of the literature. Case Rep Med. 2012;2012:618729. [PMID: 23118766 PMCID: PMC3483879 DOI: 10.1155/2012/618729]

Gastrointestinal Bleeding Secondary to Portal Hypertensive Duodenopathy in a Patient with Decompensated Liver Cirrhosis

With alcoholic cirrhosis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease continuously on the rise in the United States, there is also a corresponding rise in portal hypertension. Portal hypertensive duodenopathy (PHD) is a complication of portal hypertension not commonly seen in cirrhotic patients. We present a case of a 46-year-old man who presented with decompensated liver cirrhosis secondary to gastrointestinal bleed. The patient underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) with findings indicative of PHD. Patient subsequently underwent transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) with resolution of gastrointestinal bleed. We highlight TIPS as a management strategy in patients with PHD for whom less invasive measures are not effective.

Portal hypertensive gastropathy: A systematic review of the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, natural history and therapy

AIM

To describe the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, natural history, and therapy of portal hypertensive gastropathy (PHG) based on a systematic literature review.

METHODS

Computerized search of the literature was performed via PubMed using the following medical subject headings or keywords: "portal" and "gastropathy"; or "portal" and "hypertensive"; or "congestive" and "gastropathy"; or "congestive" and "gastroenteropathy". The following criteria were applied for study inclusion: Publication in peer-reviewed journals, and publication since 1980. Articles were independently evaluated by each author and selected for inclusion by consensus after discussion based on the following criteria: Well-designed, prospective trials; recent studies; large study populations; and study emphasis on PHG.

RESULTS

PHG is diagnosed by characteristic endoscopic findings of small polygonal areas of variable erythema surrounded by a pale, reticular border in a mosaic pattern in the gastric fundus/body in a patient with cirrhotic or non-cirrhotic portal hypertension. Histologic findings include capillary and venule dilatation, congestion, and tortuosity, without vascular fibrin thrombi or inflammatory cells in gastric submucosa. PHG is differentiated from gastric antral vascular ectasia by a different endoscopic appearance. The etiology of PHG is inadequately understood. Portal hypertension is necessary but insufficient to develop PHG because many patients have portal hypertension without PHG. PHG increases in frequency with more severe portal hypertension, advanced liver disease, longer liver disease duration, presence of esophageal varices, and endoscopic variceal obliteration. PHG pathogenesis is related to a hyperdynamic circulation, induced by portal hypertension, characterized by increased intrahepatic resistance to flow, increased splanchnic flow, increased total gastric flow, and most likely decreased gastric mucosal flow. Gastric mucosa in PHG shows increased susceptibility to gastrotoxic chemicals and poor wound healing. Nitrous oxide, free radicals, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and glucagon may contribute to PHG development. Acute and chronic gastrointestinal bleeding are the only clinical complications. Bleeding is typically mild-to-moderate. Endoscopic therapy is rarely useful because the bleeding is typically diffuse. Acute bleeding is primarily treated with octreotide, often with concomitant proton pump inhibitor therapy, or secondarily treated with vasopressin or terlipressin. Nonselective β-adrenergic receptor antagonists, particularly propranolol, are used to prevent bleeding after an acute episode or for chronic bleeding. Iron deficiency anemia from chronic bleeding may require iron replacement therapy. Transjugular-intrahepatic-portosystemic-shunt and liver transplantation are highly successful ultimate therapies because they reduce the underlying portal hypertension.

CONCLUSION

PHG is important to recognize in patients with cirrhotic or non-cirrhotic portal hypertension because it can cause acute or chronic GI bleeding that often requires pharmacologic therapy.

Portal hypertensive enteropathy

Portal hypertensive enteropathy (PHE) is a condition that describes the pathologic changes and mucosal abnormalities observed in the small intestine of patients with portal hypertension. This entity is being increasingly recognized and better understood over the past decade due to increased accessibility of the small intestine made possible by the introduction of video capsule endoscopy and deep enteroscopy. Though challenged by its diverse endoscopic appearance, multiple scoring systems have been proposed to classify the endoscopic presentation and grade its severity. Endoscopic findings can be broadly categorized into vascular and non-vascular lesions with many subtypes of both categories. Clinical manifestations of PHE can range from asymptomatic incidental findings to fatal gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Classic endoscopic findings in the setting of portal hypertension may lead to a prompt diagnosis. Occasionally histopathology and cross sectional imaging like computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging may be helpful in establishing a diagnosis. Management of overt bleeding requires multidisciplinary approach involving hepatologists, endoscopists, surgeons, and interventional radiologists. Adequate resuscitation, reduction of portal pressure, and endoscopic therapeutic intervention remain the main principles of the initial treatment. This article reviews the existing evidence on PHE with emphasis on its classification, diagnosis, clinical manifestations, endoscopic appearance, pathological findings, and clinical management. A new schematic management of ectopic variceal bleed is also proposed.