Splanchnic vein closures

Abstract

Closures in the splanchnic venous system (SVS) represent a broad medical problem. Anatomically, individual or even multiple sections of SVS may be affected at the same time. Main sections of SVS include the venous liver outflow system, the portal vein, and the upper mesenteric vein and its basin. Thrombosis is clearly the predominant cause of closure. The closures can present as acute, subacute, chronic occult or chronic manifest. The main pathological and anatomical units are the Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS), extrahepatic portal vein obstruction (EHPVO) and mesenteric vein thrombosis (MVT). Advanced laboratory, imaging and intervention methods substantially modify the approach to prevention, diagnosis and treatment; surgical approach also plays a role. The problem of SVS closures is interdisciplinary.