Gross chylous ascites in cirrhosis with massive portal vein thrombosis: diagnostic value of lymphoscintigraphy. A case report and review of the literature.
Chylous ascites is an uncommon condition, which could be due to various causes. We report a case of gross chylous ascites in a patient with cirrhosis and portal vein thrombosis. It is confirmed that gross chylous ascites in a patient with cirrhosis and portal vein thrombosis heralds an ominous prognosis for the patient. Results also demonstrate that common therapeutic interventions confer minimal benefit to the patient, whose survival may be limited to a few months. The use of lymphoscintigraphy as a convenient method for diagnostic exploration of the chylous ascites is emphasized, as it does not lead to complications or adverse effects, and can be readily repeated as needed.
Archimandritis
Athanasios J
AJ
Department of Pathophysiology, Section of Gastroenterology, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece. aarchima@med.uoa.gr
Zonios
Dimitrios I
DI
Karadima
Dimitra
D
Vlachoyiannopoulos
Panagiotis G
PG
Kiriaki
Despina
D
Hatzis
Grigorios S
GS
D002915:Chylous Ascites / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000150:complications*; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011169:Portal Vein; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000150:complications*