[Portal cavenorma: diagnosis, aetiologies and consequences]

Abstract

Portal cavernoma is a network of veins whose caliber, initially millimetric or microscopic, is increased and which contain hepatopedal portal blood. It results from occlusion, thrombotic and always chronic, of the extra-hepatic portal system. Diagnosis is mainly done by imaging. Clinical signs of portal cavernoma are usually related to extra-hepatic portal hypertension (hematemesis due to rupture of oeso-gastric varices, splenomegaly, rectal bleeding from ano-rectal varices, growth retardation in children) and sometimes to the cause of portal hypertension (abdominal pain, venous bowel infarction). Occurrence of portal thrombosis is often the conjunction of a local cause and a prothrombotic disorder which must be systematically detected. Biliary consequences of cavernoma are related to compression of common bile duct and are usually asymptomatic. In case of jaundice or cholangitis, portal decompression by portosystemic shunt can be performed to treat both biliary symptoms and portal hypertension.