Portal venous gas complication following coronary angiography:A case report

BACKGROUND Portal vein gas(PVG)is an abnormal accumulation of gas within the portal and intrahepatic portal veins.It is associated with various abdominal diseases,ranging from benign conditions to life-threatening ones that require immediate surgical intervention.Coronary angiography is the standard diagnostic procedure for coronary artery disease.There were no prior reports are available of PVG as a complication of coronary angiography.CASE SUMMARY In the specific case described here,the patient did not show signs of peritoneal irritation;however,computed tomography scans findings revealed pneumatosis in the wall of the small intestine,hepatic portal vein,and mesenteric vein,along with acute enteritis(etiology pending classification).A cesarean section was not performed,and the patient received treatment with fasting,rehydration,and antiinfection therapy.Subsequently,the patient's symptoms of abdominal distension and pain improved,and follow-up computed tomography scans indicated resolution of the portal system pneumatosis and intestinal wall edema,resulting in a favorable clinical outcome.CONCLUSION Portal venous gas complication following coronary angiography was a complication of coronary angiography.

Hepatic portal venous gas: Physiopathology, etiology, prognosis and treatment

Hepatic portal venous gas (HPVG), an ominous radiologic sign, is associated in some cases with a severe underlying abdominal disease requiring urgent operative intervention. HPVG has been reported with increasing frequency in medical literature and usually accompanies severe or lethal conditions. The diagnosis of HPVG is usually made by plain abdominal radiography, sonography, color Doppler flow imaging or computed tomography (CT) scan. Currently, the increased use of CT scan and ultrasound in the inpatient setting allows early and highly sensitive detection of such severe illnesses and also the recognition of an increasing number of benign and non-life threatening causes of HPVG. HPVG is not by itself a surgical indication and the treatment depends mainly on the underlying disease. The prognosis is related to the pathology itself and is not influenced by the presence of HPVG. Based on a review of the literature, we discuss in this paper the pathophysiology, risk factors, radiographic findings, management, and prognosis of pathologies associated with HPVG.

Portal venous gas and thrombosis in a Chinese patient with fulminant Crohn’s colitis: A case report with literature review

Ever since its earliest reports, portal venous gas (PVG) has been associated with numerous intraabdominal catastrophes and has served as an indication for urgent surgical exploration. It is traditionally regarded to be an ominous finding of impending death, with highest mortality reported in patients with underlying bowel ischemia. Today, computed tomography has demonstrated a wider range of clinical conditions associated with PVG, some of which are ‘benign’ and do not necessarily require surgery, unless when there are signs of intraabdominal catastrophe or systemic toxicity. One of these ‘benign’ conditions is Crohn’s disease. The present report describes a 19-year-old Chinese boy with Crohn’s pancolitis who presented with septic shock associated with PVG and portal vein thrombosis, and was successfully managed surgically. To our knowledge, this is the fi rst report of PVG and portal vein thrombosis associated with Crohn’s disease in a Chinese patient. In addition, we have also reviewed the reports of another 18 Crohn’s patients with PVG previously described in the English literature. Specifi c predisposing factors for PVG were identified in 8 patients, including barium enema, colonoscopy, blunt abdominal trauma, and enterovenous f istula. The patients who developed PVG following barium enema and blunt trauma were all asymptomatic and no specifi c treatment was necessary. Eleven patients (58%) who presented with signs of intraabdominal catastrophe or systemic toxicity required either immediate or eventual surgery. The overall mortality rate among the 19 patients was only 11%. The present literature review has shown that the f inding of PVG associated with Crohn’ s disease does not always mandate surgical intervention. It is the clinical features and the related complications that ultimately determine the treatment approaches. The overall outcome of PVG associated with Crohn’s disease has been favourable.

Hepatic portal venous gas in pancreatic solitary metastasis from an esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND:Hepatic portal venous gas(HPVG) is a rare entity commonly associated with intestinal necrosis and fatal outcome,and various underlying diseases have been reported.Pancreatic solitary metastasis without local extension is also rare in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.METHODS:This report describes an interesting and unusual case of HPVG arising from pancreatic tumor.Autopsy revealed pathogenesis of HPVG and synchronous tumors of the esophagus and pancreas.RESULTS:A 73-year-old man developed synchronous double tumor in the esophagus and pancreas several months before acute abdomen and his death,which were generated by HPVG.Autopsy revealed that HPVG was caused by gastric wall infarction owing to expansion of an isolated pancreatic metastasis from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.CONCLUSIONS:This is the first case of HPVG that was derived from pancreatic tumor infiltration.If he had been diagnosed with solitary pancreatic metastasis from esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in the first time,he might have an option for chemotherapy,which could let him live longer.

Hepatic portal venous gas without definite clinical manifestations of necrotizing enterocolitis in a 3-day-old full-term neonate:A case report

BACKGROUND Neonatal hepatic portal venous gas(HPVG)is associated with a high risk of necrotizing enterocolitis(NEC)and was previously believed to be associated with an increased risk of surgery.CASE SUMMARY A 3-day-old full-term male infant was admitted to the pediatrics department after presenting with"low blood glucose for 10 min".Hypoglycemia was corrected by intravenous glucose administration and oral breast milk.On the 3rd d after admission,an ultrasound examination showed gas accumulation in the hepatic portal vein;this increased on the next day.Abdominal vertical radiograph showed intestinal pneumatosis.Routine blood examination showed that the total number of white blood cells was normal,but neutrophilia was related to age.There was a significant increase in C-reactive protein(CRP).The child was diagnosed with neonatal NEC(early-stage).With nil per os,rehydration,parenteral nutritional support,and anti-infection treatment with no sodium,his hepatic portal vein pneumatosis resolved.In addition,routine blood examination and CRP examination showed significant improvement and his symptoms resolved.The patient was given timely refeeding and gradually transitioned to full milk feeding and was subsequently discharged.Follow-up examination after discharge showed that the general condition of the patient was stable.CONCLUSION The presence of HPVG in neonates indicates early NEC.Early active anti-infective treatment is effective in treating NEC,minimizes the risk of severe NEC,and reduces the need for surgery.The findings of this study imply that early examination of the liver by ultrasound in a sick neonate can help with the early diagnosis of conditions such as NEC.

Portal venous gas resulting from umbilical vein catheterization in a very-low-birth-weight infant with no interruption in early feeding

Introduction Portal venous gas(PVG)is common in necrotizing enterocolitis and occasionally occurs in neonates after umbilical vein catheterization(UVC).Therefore,determining the cause of PVG requires further clinical evaluation in these cases.Case presentation We report the case of a very-low-birth-weight infant who underwent UVC after birth.PVG was an unexpected finding on ultrasound following catheterization.The UVC was immediately removed and replaced with a peripherally inserted central catheter.The infant’s physical examination was unremarkable.Bedside X-ray revealed neither PVG nor pneumatosis intestinalis,which would indicate the onset of necrotizing enterocolitis.After full evaluation,breastfeeding was started on the same day.The infant did not develop feeding intolerance,necrotizing enterocolitis,or other disorders.Conclusion PVG occasionally occurs in neonates who undergo UVC and is considered to be caused by exogenous gases.PVG is more easily detected with ultrasound than with X-ray and does not affect early feeding in premature infants.

Enterovenous fistulization: A rare complication of Crohn's disease

The presence of hepatic portal venous gas (HPVG) is associated with numerous diseases, and has been regarded as a serious, even catastrophic condition. However, anecdotal reports mention that some patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), who developed HPVG after diagnostic examinations of the colon, were successfully managed with antibiotic therapy and have followed benign courses. In contrast, among IBD patients, the development of HPVG is rarely caused by enterovenous fistula. We describe a 32-year-old man with Crohn's ileocolitis who presented with hypotension and fever associated with HPVG, as well as superior mesenteric vein thrombosis, possibly caused by enterovenous fistula, who was successfully managed by surgery. We also review the literature concerning portal venous gas associated with Crohn's disease.

The spectrum of pneumatosis intestinalis in the adult.A surgical dilemma

Pneumatosis intestinalis(PI) is a striking radiological diagnosis. Formerly a rare diagnostic finding, it is becoming more frequently diagnosed due to the wider availability and improvement of computed tomography scan imaging. Once associated only with poor outcome, its clinical and prognostic significance nowadays has to be cross-referenced to the nature of the underlying condition.Multiple mechanisms of pathogenesis have been debated and multiple causes have been detected during the years. All this contributes to creating a broad range of clinical and radiological presentations. The management of patients presenting PI is related to the determining cause if it is identified. Otherwise, in particular if an association with portal venous gas and/or pneumoperitoneum is present, the eventual decision between surgery and non-operative management is challenging,even for stable patients, since this clinical condition is traditionally associated to intestinal ischemia and consequently to pending clinical collapse if not treated.Considering the wide variety of origin and outcomes, PI still remains for surgeons a demanding clinical entity. The manuscript is an updated narrative review and gives some suggestions that may help make the decisional process easier,identifying patients who can benefit from surgical intervention and those who can benefit from non-operative management avoiding unnecessary procedures.