Vascular anomalies associated with hepatic shunting

A Rare Association: Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia with Liver Cirrhosis Causing Portal Hypertension

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), also known as Rendu-Osler-Weber syndrome, is a vascular disorder of autosomal dominant etiology. The hallmark clinical feature is the presence of recurrent episodes of epistaxis in patients with vascular malformations and a tendency to bleed. We present the case of a 71-year-old woman who presented to the emergency department with upper gastrointestinal bleeding caused by esophageal varices, in conjunction with gastric angiodysplasias. The presence of oronasopharyngeal telangiectasias and hepatomegaly raised suspicion of HHT. The diagnostic workup confirmed the presence of angiodysplasia in the gastric region, portal arteriovenous malformation, and a pulmonary shunt.

Current guidelines for diagnosis and management of hepatic involvement in hereditary hemorrhagic teleangiectasia

Hereditary hemorrhagic teleangiectasia (HHT), also known as Rendu-Osler-Weber syndrome, is the most common cause of hepatic vascular malformations in adults. Different vascular shunts (arteriovenous, arterioportal or portovenous) lead to different clinical manifestations. Even though no hepatic-related symptoms are reported in the majority of cases, the severity of liver disease could lead to refractory medical conditions, in some cases requiring liver transplantation. The aim of this manuscript is to provide an updated overview of the current evidence regarding the diagnosis and treatment of HHT liver involvement and liver-related complications.

Congenital Portosystemic Shunts: Variable Clinical Presentations Requiring a Tailored Endovascular or Surgical Approach

Congenital portosystemic shunts (CPSS) are rare developmental anomalies resulting in diversion of portal flow to the systemic circulation. These shunts allow intestinal blood to reach the systemic circulation directly, and if persistent or large, may lead to long-term complications. CPSS can have a variety of clinical presentations that depend on the substrate that is bypassing hepatic metabolism or the degree of hypoperfusion of the liver. Many intrahepatic shunts spontaneously close by 1 year of age, but extrahepatic and persistent intrahepatic shunts require intervention by a single session or staged closure with a multidisciplinary approach. Early detection and appropriate management are important for a good prognosis. The aim of this case series is to describe the varied clinical presentations, treatment approaches, and outcomes of 5 children with CPSS at our institution. Management of these patients should involve a multidisciplinary team, including interventional radiology, surgery, hepatology, and other medical services as the patient's clinical presentation warrants. Regardless of clinical presentation, if a CPSS persists past 1-2 years of age, closure is recommended.

Right hemihepatectomy combined with ligation of the common hepatic artery and gastroduodenal artery for the treatment of intrahepatic HHT: A case report

Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare disease that lacks effective treatment. Here, the authors report the case of a 30-year-old woman presenting with abdominal pain accompanied by severe malnutrition. After a definite diagnosis of HHT involvement in the liver, liver transplantation was the first-choice treatment according to the guidelines of HHT. However, the patient firmly refused liver transplantation. Finally, a new type of surgery, right hemihepatectomy combined with ligation of the common hepatic artery and gastroduodenal artery, was performed based on careful study of the case and with the maximum benefit of the patient in mind. Although the patient developed transient liver dysfunction after surgery, she eventually recovered well and continued to be followed up. As far as we know, this is the first report of this kind of surgery for the treatment of intrahepatic HHT.

Hepatic pseudolesions caused by alterations in intrahepatic hemodynamics

Hepatic pseudolesion may occur in contrast-enhanced computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging due to the unique haemodynamic characteristics of the liver. The concept of hepatic arterial buffer response (HABR) has become mainstream for the understanding of the mechanism of the reciprocal effect between hepatic arterial and portal venous flow. And HABR is thought to be significantly related to the occurrence of the abnormal imaging findings on arterial phase of contrast enhanced images, such as hepatic arterial-portal vein shunt and transient hepatic attenuation difference, which mimic hypervascular tumor and may cause clinical problems. Third inflow to the liver also cause hepatic pseudolesion, and some of the cases may show histopathologic change such as focal hyperplasia, focal fatty liver, and focal sparing of fatty liver, and called pseudotumor. To understand these phenomena might be valuable for interpreting the liver imaging findings.