Gastric Varices Secondary to Splenic Vein Occlusion due to Pancreatic Diseases

Abstract

Sato et al., Pancreatic Dis Ther 2013, S3 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/2165 Gastric Varices Secondary to Splenic Vein Occlusion due to Pancreatic Diseases Takahiro Sato*, Sho Kitagawa, Mutsuumi Kimura, Takumi Ohmura, Yoshiyasu Karino and Jouji Toyota Department of Gastroenterology, Sapporo Kosei General Hospital, Japan occlusion because of the splenic vein, s anatomy. Sutton et al. reported that 35% of their cases of isolated splenic vein occlusion were caused by tumors and only 17% by pancreatitis [9]. On the other hand, Sakorafas et al. found that pancreatitis was the etiology in 87 (60%) of 144 cases, while pancreatic malignancy was detected in only [13] (9%) of the patients [7], and recent reviews have clarified acute or chronic pancreatitis to be the probable cause of splenic vein thrombosis in the majority of cases [18]. There is a possible pathogenetic mechanism implying the increased intra-abdominal pressure leading to compression of the splenic vein in the case of pancreatic pseudocyst [19,20].Due to splenic vein occlusion, splenic venous flow must drain into collateral veins (short gastric vein and left gastroepiploic vein). Then, the increased blood flow dilates the submucosal veins of stomach, resulting in gastric varices (Figure 1). Because blood drainage is diverted by the coronary vein into the patent portal system, the presence of gastric varices without esophageal varices is a very specific sign of splenic vein occlusion [17]. This condition, which is commonly silent clinically, can cause hypersplenism or gastrointestinal hemorrhage.Although splenic vein occlusion is commonly silent clinically, AbstractGastric varices that arise secondary to splenic vein occlusion can result in hypersplenism or gastrointestinal hemorrhaging. This article review gastric varices secondary to splenic vein occlusion due to pancreatic diseases with regard to causes of the condition, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.Diagnosis of gastric varices is made following esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy, and splenic vein occlusions are diagnosed from enhanced computed tomographic scans in almost all cases. Specific findings of gastric varices secondary to splenic vein occlusion are based on endoscopic ultrasonographic color flow images of gastric variceal flow that clearly depicted round cardiac and fundal regions at the center, with varices expanding to the curvatura ventriculi major of the gastric body.Several treatment options for gastric variceal bleeding secondary to splenic vein occlusion have been proposed. Splenectomy, which decompresses the short gastric vein by cutting off inflow, has generally been considered the best treatment of choice in such condition. Endoscopic injection sclerotherapy using cyanoacrylate, is useful in the treatment of bleeding gastric varices due to splenic vein occlusion. As patients with splenic vein occlusion have normal portal pressure and normal hepatic function, portal systemic shunting is not indicated. Splenic arterial embolization, which reduces blood flow through the sp...