Treatment of the Budd-Chiari syndrome by insertion of a wall-stent in the hepatic vein after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty: the necessity of follow-up.

Budd-Chiari syndrome is a rare disease and, with or without treatment, the prognosis is usually poor. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the hepatic vein in Budd-Chiari syndrome is a safe method, although recurrent stenosis makes it necessary to repeat it several times in most cases. Insertion of a wall-stent in the hepatic vein seems to be a more long-lasting treatment. Monitoring the blood flow through the wall-stent every 6 months is important because of the apparent obliteration of the wall-stent by intimal fibrosis of the hepatic vein. Further follow-up investigations of this method are necessary.