A case of a spontaneous splenorenal shunt associated with the nutcracker syndrome.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Hypertension in the portal vein system stimulates the vascular system to develop a porto-caval collateral system, which occurs by adaptation of the already existing junctions between the porto-caval and the systemic circulation to changed conditions or by angiogenesis.

CASE REPORT:

We present a case of a 42-year-old man with alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver and exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis, whose computed tomography of the abdominal cavity revealed a massive varicoid dilatation of a vein of the spleen with a splenorenal shunt and tortuous dilated venous vessels in the retroperitoneal space and mesentery.

CONCLUSIONS:

The unusual image of the mesenteric and retroperitoneal venous vessels in our patient resulted from the coexistence of collateral porto-systemic circulation and compression of the left renal vein.

• Authors: Joanna Dołowy, Anna Stoinska, Małgorzata Kuśmierska, Tomasz Kuniej, Irena Plucińska, Przemysław Jaźwiec
• Journal: Polish journal of radiology (Pol J Radiol) Vol. 76 Issue 4 Pg. 49-51 (Oct 2011) ISSN: 1899-0967 [Electronic] Poland
• PMID: 22802855 (Publication Type: Case Reports)