Extra hepatic portal vein obstruction due to combined protein ‘C’ and ‘S’ deficiency - A case report

Extra-hepatic portal vein obstruction (EHPVO) is an important cause of non-cirrhotic portal hypertension, in Third World countries like India. In this disorder, it results in obstruction and cavernomatous transformation of portal vein with or without the involvement of intra-hepatic portal vein, splenic vein, or superior mesenteric vein resulting in portal hypertension and esophagogastric varices. Extensive collateral circulation develops, involving paracholecystic, paracholedochal and pancreaticoduodenal veins which results in formation of ectopic varices, and portal biliopathy. Besides variceal bleeding, patients may have symptoms of portal biliopathy, hypersplenism, and growth retardation. Although the liver may appear normal, functional compromise develops in the long term. Patients with extra-hepatic portal vein obstruction are usually young and belong to India and other Asian countries. The variceal bleeding in EHPVO can be managed by endoscopic obliteration of varices, or by portosystemic shunt surgery. In this case report, we present a case of 15 year old male, with extra-hepatic portal vein obstruction due to combined deficiency of Protein C and Protein S recanalized by short-term low molecular heparin plus oral Rivaroxaban therapy

Research advances in non-cirrhotic portal hypertension / 临床肝胆病杂志

Although liver cirrhosis is the most common cause of portal hypertension (PH), about 20% of PH cases are caused by non-cirrhotic reasons, which are referred to as non-cirrhotic portal hypertension (NCPH), with a high incidence rate in developing countries. NCPH is a group of heterogeneous hepatic vascular diseases, including idiopathic portal hypertension (IPH) and extrahepatic portal vein obstruction (EHPVO), as well as the rare diseases in clinical practice such as Budd-Chiari syndrome, congenital hepatic fibrosis, and nodular regenerative hyperplasia. The patients with NCPH usually have the symptoms of portal hypertension, such as recurrent variceal bleeding and splenomegaly, but liver function is well preserved in these patients. At present, the diagnosis of NCPH lacks a universally accepted standard and remains a challenge. In clinical practice, the method of exclusion is usually applied for the diagnosis of HCPH, and liver biopsy is performed when necessary to make a confirmed diagnosis. This paper introduces the pathogenesis and pathological manifestations of IPH and EHPVO, as well as the selection of diagnostic methods and therapeutic strategies. If upper gastrointestinal bleeding can be effectively controlled, NCPH is considered to have a relatively good prognosis.