Intrahepatic portal venous systems in adult patients with cavernous transformation of portal vein: Imaging features and a new classification

Background: Cavernous transformation of the portal vein(CTPV) due to portal vein obstruction is a rare vascular anomaly defined as the formation of multiple collateral vessels in the hepatic hilum. This study aimed to investigate the imaging features of intrahepatic portal vein in adult patients with CTPV and establish the relationship between the manifestations of intrahepatic portal vein and the progression of CTPV. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 14 CTPV patients in Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital. All patients underwent both direct portal venography(DPV) and computed tomography angiography(CTA) to reveal the manifestations of the portal venous system. The vessels measured included the left portal vein(LPV), right portal vein(RPV), main portal vein(MPV) and the portal vein bifurcation(PVB). Results: Nine males and 5 females, with a median age of 40.5 years, were included in the study. No significant difference was found in the diameters of the LPV or RPV measured by DPV and CTA. The visualization in terms of LPV, RPV and PVB measured by DPV was higher than that by CTA. There was a significant association between LPV/RPV and PVB/MPV in term of visibility revealed with DPV( P = 0.01), while this association was not observed with CTA. According to the imaging features of the portal vein measured by DPV, CTPV was classified into three categories to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment. Conclusions: DPV was more accurate than CTA for revealing the course of the intrahepatic portal vein in patients with CTPV. The classification of CTPV, that originated from the imaging features of the portal vein revealed by DPV, may provide a new perspective for the diagnosis and treatment of CTPV.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound in portal venous system aneurysms: A multi-center study

AIM: To investigate contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) findings in portal venous system aneurysms (PVSAs).

Extrahepatic aneurysm of the portal venous system and portal hypertension

Portal venous aneurysm (PVA) is a rare condition characterized by dilatation of the portal venous system. PVA manifestation of symptoms is varied and depends on the aneurysm size, location and related-complications, such as thrombosis. While the majority of reported cases of PVA are attributed to portal hypertension, very little is known about the condition's pathophysiology and clinical management remains a challenge. Here, we describe a 67-year-old woman who presented with complaint of dyspepsia and without a significant medical history, for whom PVA was incidentally diagnosed. The initial upper abdominal ultrasound revealed marked dilatation of the main portal vein, and subsequent contrast-enhanced computed tomography with angiography revealed a large aneurysm arising from the extrahepatic troncus portion of the portal vein, as well as gastroesophageal varices. A conservative approach using beta-blocker therapy was chosen. The patient was followed-up for 60 mo, during which time the asymptomatic status was unaltered and the PVA remained stable.

Coronary venous system in cardiac computer tomography: Visualization, classification and role

The role of the coronary venous system was underestimated for many years.In the last 20 years,a few percutaneous cardiology techniques in which the anatomy of the coronary venous system was significant were developed and are in use.The most important seems to be cardiac resynchronization therapy,which is an invasive method for the treatment of heart failure.Unfortunately,one of the major problems is the significant anatomical variability of the coronary venous system.The description of the selected anatomical structures is only useful in selected cases such as,for example,the obstruction of selected vessels,a huge Thebesian valve,etc.The 3D images can add significant value;however,their usefulness is limited due to the different points of view that are obtained during intra-operational fluoroscopy.After summarizing all of the articles andguidelines,it can be recommended that the visualization of the coronary venous system be performed in certain patients before cardiac resynchronization.The best option is to use tomography with retrospective gating with the optimal reconstruction of cardiac veins that occurs during the diastolic phases.

Intracranial magnetic resonance venography in healthy individuals:normal anatomy and variations of the cerebral venous system

Objective:To evaluate the basic appearance and variation of the venous sinuses and veins in healthy individuals.Methods:Prospectively-recruited healthy volunteers completed a questionnaire and underwent magnetic resonance imaging plus contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance venography(CE-MRV)to measure their sinus diameters.Anatomical variations of cerebral venous sinuses were evaluated.Results:Fifty-eight individuals were included.The mean diameter of the left transverse sinus(LTS)(5.37±1.35 mm)was significantly smaller than that of the right transverse sinus(RTS)(6.65±1.57 mm)(P<0.001),and the average discrepancy was 19.2%.RTS dominance was noted in 55.1%of cases.Four superior sagittal sinus(SSS)anatomical variations were found.Type A was the most common and was present in 43 participants(74.1%).The SSS preferentially drained into the RTS in 32 patients(55.2%),and arachnoid granulation was observed in the transverse sinus(TS)and SSS in patients.According to our reclassification combined with Osborn’s previous research,we found that the SSS commonly drained into the RTS and that the straight sinus(StS)branched into both TSs.Conclusions:A 19%difference between the LTS and RTS provides a threshold for TS lateral dominance instead of a TS abnormality.Clinicians and radiologists should not ignore the influence of acquired pathology when the SSS drains in a non-RTS-dominant manner.Anatomical variations of the torcular herophili are frequent;the most commonly observed was the StS branching into both TSs,with the SSS draining into the RTS.

Spectrum of venous thromboembolism in adult patients with ulcerative colitis in Pakistan:A single center retrospective study

BACKGROUND Patients with inflammatory bowel disease are at a 2-8-fold higher risk of deve-loping venous thromboembolism(VTE)as compared to the general population.Although the exact pathogenesis is unclear,the literature suggests that increased risk of thromboembolic events in such patients occurs as a result of increased coagulation factors,inflammatory cytokines,and reduction in anticoagulants leading to a prothrombotic state.AIM To assess the prevalence,risk factors,management,and outcome of ulcerative colitis(UC)patients who develop VTE.METHODS This was a retrospective chart review done in The Gastroenterology Department of The Aga Khan University Hospital.Data was collected from medical records for all patients admitted with a diagnosis of UC from January 2012 to December 2022.RESULTS Seventy-four patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria.The mean±SD of age at presentation of all UC patients was 45 years±10 years whereas for those who developed VTE,it was 47.6 years±14.7 years.Hypertension and diabetes were the most common co-morbid seen among UC patients with a frequency of 17(22.9%)and 12(16.2%),respectively.A total of 5(6.7%)patients developed VTE.Deep venous thrombosis was the most common thromboembolic phenomenon seen in 3(60%)patients.All the patients with UC and concomitant VTE were discharged home(5;100%).CONCLUSION The prevalence of VTE with UC in Pakistani patients corresponds with the international literature.However,multi-centric studies are required to further explore these results.

Off-pump sequential bilateral internal mammary artery grafting combined with selective arterialization of the coronary venous system

Background Off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery （OPCAB） has been widely applied in recent years as a less invasive method of myocardial revascularization. This study evaluated the sequential bilateral internal mammary artery grafting combined with selective arterialization of the coronary venous system during OPCAB.Methods From April 2004 to August 2010, patients with diffuse right coronary lesions were studied retrospectively and divided into two groups. Group 1 included seventeen patients who underwent this surgery while group 2 included twenty-one patients without right coronary artery surgical therapy. All patients presented with symptoms of angina. Blood flow of bridged vessels was measured. The perioperative ventricular parameters including left ventricular ejection fraction and end diastolic diameter were compared. During follow-up, myocardial nuclide imaging and coronary angiography were carried out.Results Off-pump coronary artery bypass was performed with an average of 3.6 grafts per patient. Hospital mortality was zero. At the time of follow-up, the patients in group 1 recovered better than in group 2 （P〈0.05）. In both groups, the mean New York Heart Association （NYHA） class and ejection fraction increased significantly （P〈0.001） and the mean left ventricular end-diastolic diameter decreased significantly （P 〈0.05）. Myocardial blood supply of inferior wall in group 1 was obviously improved by myocardial nuclide imaging. Coronary angiography for eight patients in group 1 verified that there was blood flow to myocardium in the arterialized vein.Conclusions Sequential bilateral internal mammary artery grafting combined with selective arterialization of the coronary venous system can be performed during OPCAB. A postoperative improvement in the cardiac functions and the quality of life was documented, increasing our expectation for extensive application.

Systematic review of prognostic importance of extramuralvenous invasion in rectal cancer

AIM: To systematically review the survival outcomes relating to extramural venous invasion in rectal cancer.METHODS: A systematic review was conducted using PRISMA guidelines. An electronic search was carried out using MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane library databases, Google scholar and Pub Med until October 2014. Search terms were used in combination to yield articles on extramural venous invasion in rectal cancer. Outcome measures included prevalence and 5-year survival rates. These were graphically displayed using Forest plots. Statistical analysis of the data was carried out.RESULTS: Fourteen studies reported the prevalence of extramural venous invasion(EMVI) positive patients. Prevalence ranged from 9%-61%. The pooled prevalence of EMVI positivity was 26% [Random effects: Event rate 0.26(0.18, 0.36)]. Most studies showed that EMVI related to worse oncological outcomes. The pooled overall survival was 39.5% [Random effects: Event rate 0.395(0.29, 0.51)].CONCLUSION: Historically, there has been huge variation in the prevalence of EMVI through inconsistent reporting. However the presence of EMVI clearly leads to worse survival outcomes. As detection rates become more consistent, EMVI may be considered as part of risk-stratification in rectal cancer. Standardised histopathological definitions and the use of magnetic resonance imaging to identify EMVI will improve detection rates in the future.

Arterial complications, venous thromboembolism and deep venous thrombosis prophylaxis after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A systematic review

AIM To summarize the current knowledge on vascular complications and deep venous thrombosis(DVT) prophylaxis after anterior cruciate ligament(ACL) reconstruction.METHODS A systematic review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane,Web of Science, CINAHL, PubMed publisher, and Google scholar medical literature databases were searched up to November 10, 2015. Any arthroscopic surgical method of primary or revision intra-articular ACL reconstruction of all graft types in humans was included. A risk of bias assessment was determined.RESULTS Fourty-seven studies were included in the review.Pseudaneurysms were the most frequently reported arterial complication after ACL reconstruction, irrespective of graft type or method of graft fixation with an incidence of 0.3%. The time to diagnosis of arterial complications after ACL reconstruction varied from days to mostly weeks but even years. After ACL reconstruction without thromboprophylaxis, the incidence of DVT was 9.7%, of which 2.1% was symptomatic. The incidence of pulmonary embolism was 0.1%. Tourniquet time > 2 h was related to venous thromboembolism.Thromboprophylaxis is indicated in patients with risk factors for venous thromboembolism.CONCLUSION After ACL reconstruction, the incidence of arterial complications,symptomatic DVT and pulmonary embolism was 0.3%, 2.1% and 0.1% respectively. Arterial complications may occur with all types of arthroscopic ACL reconstruction, methods of graft fixation as well as any type of graft. Patients considered to be at moderate or high risk of venous thromboembolism should routinely receive thromboprophylaxis after ACL reconstruction.

Portal hypertension exacerbates intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt and further induces refractory hepatic encephalopathy: A case report

BACKGROUND Intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt(IPSVS)is a rare hepatic disease with different clinical manifestations.Most IPSVS patients with mild shunts are asymptomatic,while the patients with severe shunts present complications such as hepatic encephalopathy.For patients with portal hypertension accompanied by intrahepatic shunt,portal hypertension may lead to hemodynamic changes that may result in exacerbated portal shunt and increased shunt flow.CASE SUMMARY A 57-year-old man,with the medical history of chronic hepatitis B and liver cirrhosis,was admitted to our hospital with abnormal behavior for 10 mo.He had received the esophageal varices ligation and entecavir therapy 1 year ago.Comparing with former examination results,the degree of esophageal varices was significantly reduced,while the right branch of the portal vein was significantly expanded and tortuous.Meanwhile,abdominal ultrasound presented the right posterior branch of portal vein connected with the retrohepatic inferior vena cava.The imaging findings indicated the diagnosis of IPSVS and hepatic encephalopathy.Instead of radiologic interventions or surgical therapies,this patient had only accepted symptomatic treatment.No recurrence of hepatic encephalopathy was observed during 1-year follow-up.CONCLUSION Hemodynamic changes may exacerbate intrahepatic portosystemic shunt.The intervention or surgery should be carefully applied to patients with severe portal hypertension due to the risk of hemorrhage.

Asymptomatic Intrahepatic Portosystemic Venous Shunt: Case Report and Review of Literature

A spontaneous portosystemic shunt is a rare malformation of the liver vessels. The etiology of these shunts is controversial. They can be divided into acquired (most commonly associated with liver cirrhosis) and congenital. Vascular shunts are asymptomatic in the majority of the patients, and when symptomatic were presented by severe complications. The specific way of management can be selected depended on whether the patient was symptomatic or not, and also on the size of the shunt, shunt ratio and whether it was associated with cancer. We will present a clinical case and discuss the importance of the radiological imaging in the screening, diagnosis and follow up of these anomalies.

Effect of Physical Intervention on Preventing Upper Limb Venous Thrombosis of Patients with PICC: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials

Objective: To evaluate the effect of physical methods on the prevention of venous thrombosis in patients with peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC). Methods: Randomized controlled trials meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria were retrieved from the following databases: Cochrane library, Pubmed, EMbase, Web of science, Ovid, CBM, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, then Review Manage (RevMan) 5.3 software was used for data analysis. Results: A total of 24 RCTs including 3496 patients were analyzed in the study. The results of meta-analysis showed that various forms of upper limb movements could effectively decrease the incidence of venous thrombosis in the patients with PICC [RR = 0.23, 95% CI (0.16, 0.33), P < 0.01], upper limb movements could effectively improve the mean blood flow velocity of basilic vein [MD = 1.65, 95% CI (1.19, 2.11), P < 0.01]. Conclusion: Upper limb movements can effectively decrease the incidence of phlebothrombosis and improve the mean flow velocity of basilic vein in the patients undergoing PICC. Other forms of physical prevention methods need to be further studied due to insufficient sample size.

Early systemic anticoagulation reduces hospital readmission in acute necrotizing pancreatitis patients:A retrospective cohort study

Background:Early systemic anticoagulation(SAC)is a common practice in acute necrotizing pancreatitis(ANP),and its impact on in-hospital clinical outcomes had been assessed.However,whether it affects long-term outcomes is unknown.This study aimed to evaluate the effect of SAC on 90-day readmission and other long-term outcomes in ANP patients.Methods:During January 2013 and December 2018,ANP patients admitted within 7 days from the onset of abdominal pain were screened.The primary outcome was 90-day readmission after discharge.Cox proportional-hazards regression model and mediation analysis were used to define the relationship between early SAC and 90-day readmission.Results:A total of 241 ANP patients were enrolled,of whom 143 received early SAC during their hospitalization and 98 did not.Patients who received early SAC experienced a lower incidence of splanchnic venous thrombosis(SVT)[risk ratio(RR)=0.40,95%CI:0.26-0.60,P<0.01]and lower 90-day readmission with an RR of 0.61(95%CI:0.41-0.91,P=0.02)than those who did not.For the quality of life,patients who received early SAC had a significantly higher score in the subscale of vitality(P=0.03)while the other subscales were all comparable between the two groups.Multivariable Cox regression model showed that early SAC was an independent protective factor for 90-day readmission after adjusting for potential confounders with a hazard ratio of 0.57(95%CI:0.34-0.96,P=0.04).Mediation analysis showed that SVT mediated 37.0%of the early SAC-90-day readmission causality.Conclusions:The application of early SAC may reduce the risk of 90-day readmission in the survivors of ANP patients,and reduced SVT incidence might be the primary contributor.

One-Stage Correction with Intra- and Extraatrial Rerouting of Anomalous Systemic and Pulmonary Venous Return and Intraventricular Repair of Double Outlet Right Ventricle in a Patient with Heterotaxy Syndrome

We report a very rare case of successful intracardiac correction in a patient with heterotaxy syndrome.The cardiac malformations included dextrocardia,double outlet right ventricle,pulmonary stenosis,interrupted inferior vena cava,hemiazygos continuation and total anomalous pulmonary venous return.One-stage correction was performed.The atrial procedure consisted of intra-and extraatrial rerouting of the anomalous systemic and pulmonary venous return.The hepatic veins were detached and diverted to the left atrium via an extracardiac conduit.The correction of the double outlet right ventricle was accomplished by intraventricular redirection of the blood flow from the left ventricle to the aorta.The right ventricular outflow was ultimately remodeled using a valved conduit.For better perception of the complex morphology,a three-dimensional model was designed,using CT scan images.This proved to be very useful for surgical planning,especially with regard to the intraatrial reconstruction of the systemic and pulmonary venous rerouting.

Usefulness of the Guglielmi detachable coil for embolization of a systemic venous collateral after Fontan operation:A case report

Embolization of collateral veins is often treated with rigid coils(Gianturco and interlocking detachable coils type).However,when dealing with tortuous and dilated collateral veins,there is a high risk for technical failure and coil migration due to inflexibility of the coils.To safely and successfully solve this problem,Guglielmi detachable coils(GDC) can be used for embolization.Their flexibility allows for easy navigation in tortuous veins,low risk of unintended coil release or coil migration,and safe deployment.A 12-year-old girl with a single ventricle had severe cyanosis and a low exercise tolerance 5 years after Fontan procedure.The symp-toms were caused by a tortuous and dilated collateral from the left phrenic vein into the left pulmonary vein,forming a right-to-left shunt.The collateral,which had a large diameter and high flow,and therefore a high risk of coil migration,was successfully embolized with 8 GDC.There were no complications such as coil migration or cerebral infarction.Transcatheter embolization increased her systemic oxygen saturation from 81%-84% to 94%-95%,and increased her ability to exercise.The embolization procedure using flexible GDC was low risk compared with other rigid coil embolization techniques when performing embolization of tortuous and dilated collateral veins.

Venous Doppler flow patterns,venous congestion,heart disease and renal dysfunction:A complex liaison

The World Journal of Cardiology published an article written by Kuwahara et al that we take the pleasure to comment on.We focused our attention on venous congestion.In intensive care settings,it is now widely accepted that venous congestion is an important clinical feature worthy of investigation.Evaluating venous Doppler profile abnormalities at multiple sites could suggest adequate treatment and monitor its efficacy.Renal dysfunction could trigger or worsen fluid overload in heart disease,and cardio-renal syndrome is a well-characterized spectrum of disorders describing the complex interactions between heart and kidney diseases.Fluid overload and venous congestion,including renal venous hypertension,are major determinants of acute and chronic renal dysfunction arising in heart disease.Organ congestion from venous hypertension could be involved in the development of organ injury in several clinical situations,such as critical diseases,congestive heart failure,and chronic kidney disease.Ultrasonography and abnormal Doppler flow patterns diagnose clinically significant systemic venous congestion.Cardiologists and nephrologists might use this valuable,noninvasive,bedside diagnostic tool to establish fluid status and guide clinical choices.

Pre-transjugular-intrahepatic-portosystemic-shunt measurement of hepatic venous pressure gradient and its clinical application: A comparison study

BACKGROUND It is controversial whether transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)placement can improve long-term survival.AIM To assess whether TIPS placement improves survival in patients with hepaticvenous-pressure-gradient(HVPG)≥16 mmHg,based on HVPG-related risk stratification.METHODS Consecutive variceal bleeding patients treated with endoscopic therapy+nonselectiveβ-blockers(NSBBs)or covered TIPS placement were retrospectively enrolled between January 2013 and December 2019.HVPG measurements were performed before therapy.The primary outcome was transplant-free survival;secondary endpoints were rebleeding and overt hepatic ence-phalopathy(OHE).RESULTS A total of 184 patients were analyzed(mean age,55.27 years±13.86,107 males;102 in the EVL+NSBB group,82 in the covered TIPS group).Based on the HVPG guided risk stratification,70 patients had HVPG<16 mmHg,and 114 patients had HVPG≥16 mmHg.The median follow-up time of the cohort was 49.5 mo.There was no significant difference in transplant-free survival between the two treatment groups overall(hazard ratio[HR],0.61;95%confidence interval[CI]:0.35-1.05;P=0.07).In the high-HVPG tier,transplant-free survival was higher in the TIPS group(HR,0.44;95%CI:0.23-0.85;P=0.004).In the low-HVPG tier,transplantfree survival after the two treatments was similar(HR,0.86;95%CI:0.33-0.23;P=0.74).Covered TIPS placement decreased the rate of rebleeding independent of the HVPG tier(P<0.001).The difference in OHE between the two groups was not statistically significant(P=0.09;P=0.48).CONCLUSION TIPS placement can effectively improve transplant-free survival when the HVPG is greater than 16 mmHg.

Role of the ultra-wide-field imaging system in the diagnosis of pigmented paravenous chorioretinal atrophy

Dear Editor,P igmented paravenous chorioretinal atrophy(PPCRA), which was first described by Hewiston-Brown in 1937, is a rare pigmentary retinopathy affecting the retina and choroid;most patients mainly manifest symmetrical retinal choroid in both eyes, except for a small number of patients with monocular manifestations[1].

Non-target lung embolization during portal vein embolization due to an unrecognized portosystemic venous fistula:A case report

BACKGROUND Portal vein embolization(PVE)is an effective and relatively safe procedure performed prior to major hepatic resection to enhance future liver remnant.Nontarget embolization during PVE is rare,and if it occurs,it usually affects the future liver remnant.Intrahepatic portosystemic venous fistulas are extremely rare in non-cirrhotic livers.We report a case of non-targeted lung embolization during PVE due to an unrecognized intrahepatic portosystemic fistula.CASE SUMMARY A 60-year-old male presented with metastatic colon cancer of the liver.The patient underwent preoperative right PVE.During the embolization procedure,a small amount of glue and lipiodol emulsion was embolized to the heart and lungs through an unrecognized intrahepatic portosystemic fistula.The patient remained clinically stable and underwent the planned hepatic resection after 4 wk,with an uneventful postoperative course.CONCLUSION Conventional portograms and careful evaluation prior to PVE are advisable to avoid such complications.

Treatment of a non-purulent intracranial venous sinus thrombus using a thrombectomy aspiration system:A case report

Introduction Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis(CVST)is a special type of cerebrovascular disease characterized by obstruction of cerebral venous reflux,disturbance of cerebrospinal fluid absorption,and intracranial hypertension.It has many causes,and accounts for approximately 0.5%–1%of all strokes.^(1) The morbidity of CVST is approximately 1.3/100.