Spontaneous closure of intrahepatic portovenous shunt in a noncirrhotic patient with recurrent encephalopathy.
A 70-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with recurrent encephalopathy. Liver function tests, abdominal computerized tomography, ultrasonography, angiography, and laparoscopy revealed an intrahepatic portovenous shunt in a noncirrhotic liver. During follow-up, the intrahepatic portovenous shunt closed spontaneously. Subsequent liver function tests were markedly improved, with resolution of the patient's previously disturbed consciousness. In the elderly, intrahepatic portovenous shunt that can be managed with conservative therapy may spontaneously close, suggesting that management options should include watchful waiting.
Horiike
Norio
N
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Ehime University School of Medicine, Onsen-gun, Ehime, Japan.
Ninomiya
Tuneyuki
T
Abe
Masanori
M
Ninomiya
Tomoyuki
T
Iuchi
Hideto
H
Hirata
Mami
M
Konishi
Ichiro
I
Masumoto
Toshikazu
T
Michitaka
Kojiro
K
Onji
Morikazu
M
D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D001164:Arteriovenous Fistula / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D011168:Portal System / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D012008:Recurrence; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014463:Ultrasonography