title: Vascular biliopathy as a cause of common bile duct obstruction successfully treated by mesocaval shunt and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography biliary stent placement.
abstract: Common bile duct stenosis owing to extrahepatic portal varices is termed "portal hypertensive biliopathy" (PHB) and is a rare occurrence. We report a case of PHB owing to portal vein thrombosis with cavernous transformation successfully managed by mesocaval shunt and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) biliary stent placement. A 44-year-old male, who presented with hematemesis, melena, jaundice, and abdominal pain, underwent gastroscopy, which revealed bleeding gastric varices. Computed tomography with arterial and venous imaging demonstrated portal vein thrombosis with cavernous transformation and extensive extrahepatic varices within the porta hepatis causing common bile duct obstruction from extrinsic compression. Biliary decompression was achieved with ERCP, and a small common bile duct stone was retrieved. A mesocaval shunt with a 16 mm Dacron graft successfully treated the portal hypertension. PHB is rare. We report a case successfully treated by mesocaval shunt and ERCP.
authors.affiliation: Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, GA 30312, USA. MDrosey@aol.com
authors.forename: Martin D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.forename: Geoffrey H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Stephen
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.forename: Charbel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sandroussi