title: Portal vein thrombosis.
abstract: Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) is a rare event in the general medical setting that commonly complicates cirrhosis with portal hypertension, and can also occur with liver tumors. The diagnosis is often incidental when a thrombus is found in the portal vein on imaging tests. However, PVT may also present with clinical symptoms and can progress to life-threatening complications of ischemic hepatitis, liver failure, and/or small intestinal infarction. This article reviews the pathophysiology of this disorder, with a major focus on PVT in patients with cirrhosis, and presents detailed guidelines on optimal diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, 2040 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 300, Las Vegas, NV 89102, USA.
authors.forename: Syed Abdul
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Basit
authors.affiliation: Section of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Nevada School of Medicine, 2040 West Charleston Boulevard, Suite 300, Las Vegas, NV 89102, USA.
authors.forename: Christian D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Alway Building, Room M211, 300 Pasteur Drive, MC: 5187 Stanford, CA 94305-5187, USA. Electronic address: rgish@robertgish.com.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gish
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications; D011169:Portal Vein; D019168:Portasystemic Shunt, Transjugular Intrahepatic; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants
keywords: Anticoagulation; Cirrhosis; Malignancy; Portal vein; Thromboelastography; Thrombophilia; Thrombosis