An unusual case of ascites.
A 76-year-old woman with abdominal pain and diarrhoea developed ascites that did not respond to treatment. There were no signs of liver damage. Abdominal ultrasonography with colour Doppler revealed an arterial-like flow in the enlarged splenic vein. Using selective mesenteric arteriography, we were able to diagnose a shunt between the inferior mesenteric artery and the inferior mesenteric vein. This is an unusual case of ascites due to prehepatic portal hypertension secondary to an extrahepatic arterioportal fistula.
Gastroenterology, Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Via S Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy. mimmoponi@hotmail.com
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Capuano
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Pomponi
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Iaccarino
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Budillon
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000175:diagnosis; D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D001164:Arteriovenous Fistula / Q000209:etiology*; D001201:Ascites / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000150:complications*; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler