Thrombosis of the portal venous system: a prospective study.

BACKGROUND

Thrombosis in the portal system causes a wide spectrum of clinical pictures. There are few published studies describing the clinical features and consequences of portal venous system thrombosis. We aimed to document presentations and outcomes in patients with thrombosis in the portal and/or splenic veins.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study included 95 patients who were diagnosed with portal venous system thrombosis in the period September 2001 to April 2006. Demographics, clinical presentation, diagnostic investigation, management, morbidity, and mortality were recorded in their follow-up.

RESULTS

Of the 95 patients with portal vein thrombosis (PVT), 35 had isolated PVT (IPVT), 27 had isolated splenic vein thrombosis (ISVT), and 33 had thrombosis in both the portal and splenic veins (PSVT). The mean follow-up periods after diagnosis of IPVT, ISVT, and PSVT were 36, 31, and 32 months, respectively. Abdominal pain and gastrointestinal bleeding were the most common symptoms at presentation in the IPVT and PSVT groups, whereas abdominal pain was the dominant symptom in the ISVT group. During the follow-up period, no bleeding was seen in 26 of the 35 (74%) patients with IPVT, in 23 of the 33 (70%) patients with PSVT, and in 24 of the 27 (89%) patients with ISVT. Biliopathy developed during follow-up in 11 of 35 patients with IPVT, in 1 of 27 with ISVT, and in 5 of 33 with PSVT. In the ISVT group, there were 11 deaths, and one each in the IPVT and PSVT groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The etiology of PVT varies in portal and splenic veins. IPVT has a higher morbidity (bleeding and portal biliopathy), whereas ISVT that is not associated with an underlying malignancy has a favorable prognosis.