Portal-Mesenteric Venous Thrombosis

The importance of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) lies mainly in the complications of prehepatic portal hypertension, which in the chronic state causes bleeding through varices. Acute PVT is the main cause of prehepatic portal hypertension in the Western world and the primary cause of portal hypertension of any type in noncirrhotic patients in developed countries. PVT accounts for some 8% to 10% of all cases of portal hypertension.