Incidental radiological diagnosis of asymptomatic Abernethy malformations-two case reports

Role of interventional radiology in the diagnosis and management of congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunts: Two case reports

Congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt (CEPS) is a rare splanchnic venous malformation, wherein the portal venous outflow drains into the systemic venous circulation via a pathologic shunt. CEPS exhibits heterogeneous clinical behavior and angiography is the gold standard for evaluation of the portomesenteric communication to systemic vasculature. The potential severity of complications necessitates shunt closure. Here, we present two cases of CEPS. The first patient presented with an asymptomatic hyperammonemia and was found to have a Type 1 CEPS with absence of intrahepatic portal system. The second patient was asymptomatic and was incidentally found to have a Type 2 CEPS on imaging with normal intrahepatic portal system. Both patients were successfully treated with endovascular occlusion of the CEPS.

Efficacy and Safety of Surgical Ligation versus Endovascular Embolization for Type II Congenital Extrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt

Objective

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of surgical ligation and endovascular embolization for the treatment of type II congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt (CEPS).

Methods

In this retrospective study, 23 patients diagnosed with type II CEPS between March 2011 and April 2019 were divided into either a surgical group (n = 13; 41.5 ± 19.9 years) or the interventional group (n = 10; 44.9 ± 19.7 years). The surgical group underwent laparoscopic surgical ligation of the shunt alone or ligation of the shunt and splenic artery and/or vein. The interventional group underwent endovascular embolization using microcoils, detachable coils, and vascular plug.

Results

All 23 patients received a one-step shunt closure, and their clinical symptoms were significantly improved within 3-month postprocedure and without recurrence during follow-up. The serum ammonia levels in both groups decreased after the procedure and dropped to normal level at 6- to 12-month postprocedure. Compared with baseline, the portal vein diameter in interventional group increased significantly at 3-, 6-, 12-, and 36-month postocclusion (P = 0.01 for all). The procedure time was shorter in the interventional group (127.0 ± 43.2 minutes) than the surgical group (219.8 ± 56.7 minutes; P < 0.001). The intraoperative blood loss in the interventional group (32.0 ± 62.5 mL) was less than that in the surgical group (238.5 ± 396.9 mL; P = 0.001).

Conclusion

Both surgical ligation and endovascular embolization are effective in the treatment of type II CEPS. Endovascular embolization has the advantages of shorter procedure time and less intraoperative blood loss. The ligation of the portosystemic shunt and splenic artery and vein is feasible with apparent safety, and it could avoid a second surgical treatment.

A basic understanding of congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt: incidence, mechanism, complications, diagnosis, and treatment

Extrahepatic portosystemic shunt belongs to a family of rare vascular abnormalities. The clinical importance and manifestations of this vascular abnormality range from asymptomatic cases to liver or metabolic dysfunctions of various degrees. Congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt, also termed as Abernethy malformation, is a very rare congenital vascular malformation in which splenomesenteric blood drains into a systemic vein, bypassing the liver through a complete or partial extrahepatic shunt. So far, limited cases of congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt have been reported. In this review, incidence, mechanisms, complications, diagnoses and treatments of congenital extrahepatic portosystemic shunt are described.