1/23. Trans-anastomotic porto-portal varices in patients with gastrointestinal haemorrhage.AIM: Porto-portal varices are commonly seen in patients with segmental extra-hepatic portal hypertension and develop to provide a collateral circulation around an area of portal venous obstruction. It is not well recognized that such communications may also develop across surgical anastomoses and be the source of gastrointestinal haemorrhage. The possible mode of development of such communications has not been previously discussed. MATERIALS AND methods: Over a 3-year period between 1995 and 1998, porto-portal varices were demonstrated across surgical anastomoses in four patients who were referred for the investigation of acute (two), acute-on-chronic (one) and chronic gastrointestinal bleeding (one). Their medical notes and the findings at angiography were reviewed. RESULTS: Three patients had segmental portal hypertension due to extra-hepatic portal vein (one) or superior mesenteric vein (two) stenosis/occlusion. One patient had mild portal hypertension due to hepatic fibrosis secondary to congenital biliary atresia. At angiography all patients were shown to have varices crossing previous surgical anastomoses. These varices were presumed to be the cause of bleeding in three of the four patients; the site of bleeding in the fourth individual was not determined. CONCLUSIONS: Trans-anastomotic porto-portal varices are rare. They develop in the presence of extra-hepatic portal hypertension and presumably arise within peri-anastomotic inflammatory tissue. Such varices may be difficult to manage and their prognosis is poor when bleeding occurs.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = haemorrhage (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/23. Congestive brain oedema associated with a pial arteriovenous malformation with impaired venous drainage.We describe two patients with an unruptured pial AVM accompanied by significant brain oedema at initial presentation. In both cases, the primary drainer was a cortical vein showing varicose dilatation. in which venous congestion was indicated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The restriction of venous drainage presumably caused venous hypertension in the surrounding brain, leading to the brain oedema and neurological symptoms. brain oedema can develop in patients with an unruptured AVM by venous congestion following spontaneous thrombosis of venous components. Varicosity in a major cortical draining vein and a small nidus are the possible lesions predisposing this fairly rare condition for unruptured AVMs.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 5.3570115450885E-5keywords = brain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/23. Ectopic intestinal varices as a rare cause of lower gastrointestinal haemorrhage.Ectopic intestinal varices are rarely responsible for lower gastrointestinal (GI) haemorrhage. A case of 55 years old male with recurrent melena is being presented, who was found to have scattered varices on small as well as large intestine. Selective review of literature regarding presentation, diagnosis and management of these cases is also part of presentation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = haemorrhage (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/23. Familial and idiopathic colonic varices: an unusual cause of lower gastrointestinal haemorrhage.A patient is described presenting with an acute lower gastrointestinal haemorrhage as a result of extensive colonic varices. Further investigation revealed that there were no oesophageal varices or splenomegaly. Liver biopsy showed grade II fatty change only, with no other specific or significant pathological features. Transhepatic portography showed a raised portal pressure (20 mm/Hg) but the portal system was patent throughout. There was an abnormal leash of vessels in the caecum thought to represent a variceal plexus. This patient was diagnosed as having idiopathic colonic varices. This case is discussed together with nine other reports of idiopathic colonic varices from the published literature. Four of these reports describe idiopathic colonic varices in more than one member of the same family. Possible modes of inheritance, aetiology of variceal change, natural history, and prognosis are discussed.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = haemorrhage (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/23. Traumatic arteriovenous fistula of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery treated with endovascular coil embolization: case report.BACKGROUND: High-flow intracranial arteriovenous (AV) fistulas associated with giant varices are rare lesions. These varices can present with symptoms from mass effect, spontaneous hemorrhage, and seizures to cardiac failure. Direct AV fistulas of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (pica) are extremely rare lesions, with only two cases reported in the literature. CASE DESCRIPTION: The authors present an unusual case of a 25-year-old male with a direct AV fistula of the pica that resulted from a fracture of the occipital condyle. This high-flow AV fistula drained into a giant varix of the vein of the lateral recess that compressed the brainstem, resulting in a Wallenberg syndrome. The patient underwent embolization of the proximal pica feeding the fistula with a Guglielmi detachable coil (GDC), which resulted in thrombosis of the varix. A postembolization angiogram showed occlusion of the pica AV fistula and draining varix. A computed tomography (CT) scan performed at a 10-month follow-up visit showed dramatic decompression of the brainstem. Although the patient continued to have some sensory changes secondary to Wallenberg syndrome, he was otherwise doing well neurologically. CONCLUSION: The treatment of this lesion is difficult because of its location near the brainstem. Postocclusion edema or hemorrhage can result in mass effect and life-threatening brainstem compression. Our patient, whose AV fistula was caused by trauma, was treated effectively with GDC embolization.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 3.0611494543363E-5keywords = brain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/23. Rendu-Osler-Weber disease with a giant intracerebral varix secondary to a high-flow pial AVF: case report.BACKGROUND: Intracranial varices are rare and most are associated with vein of Galen arteriovenous malformations (AVM) or fistulas (AVF). DESCRIPTION: A 43-year-old left-handed man presented with right hemihypesthesia and spastic gait. Neuroradiological examination revealed a spinal AVF and a giant intracerebral varix associated with a high-flow pial AVF. He had recurrent episodes of nasal bleeding, which were also confirmed in his mother's medical history, and telangiectases in the tip of his tongue and fingers. He was diagnosed with Rendu-Osler-Weber disease. After resection of the spinal AVF that produced his symptoms, we surgically exposed and obliterated the giant varix and AVF under intra- and postoperative hypotension and mild barbiturate therapy. The arteriovenous shunt was completely obliterated without hyperperfusion of the surrounding brain. CONCLUSION: This is an extremely rare case of Rendu-Osler-Weber disease with a giant intracerebral varix secondary to a high-flow pial AVF that did not involve the vein of Galen.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 7.6528736358407E-6keywords = brain (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/23. Umbilical varix presenting as an incarcerated umbilical hernia--a costly mistake if not recognised.Incarcerated umbilical hernias commonly present as emergencies. Often they are diagnosed clinically and repaired surgically. In the case reported here, surgery could have been complicated by a major haemorrhage. An accurate history, high index of suspicion and attention to detail are paramount.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = haemorrhage (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/23. Duodenal varicose veins.Duodenal varices (DV) are rare. We present a review of published cases with emphasis on the management and outcome, as illustrated by our own cases, which reflects the experience reported in the literature. The diagnosis of DV must be considered in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding. Two-thirds of all reported cases have portal venous hypertension caused by hepatic cirrhosis. In the remaining one-third prehepatic portal hypertension as a consequence of either a compromised portal venous circulation (caused by perivenous tumor or inflammation) or a primary haematological disease is the underlying cause. Previously, duodenoscopy has often failed to detect and correctly interpret DV, and was similarly unsuccessful in our case. This case report demonstrates the problems and shortcomings in the management of DV and documents a hither to unreported cause. Treatment depends on the severity of bleeding. When conservative measures cannot control the haemorrhage, emergency laparotomy may be indicated. The type of surgery should be chosen according to the aetiology, site and extent of the bleeding DV. Among 112 reported cases of DV, information on outcome exists for only 35 patients who presented with haemorrhage. The aetiology was liver cirrhosis in 26 of these patients, 10 of whom had a fatal outcome, and prehepatic portal hypertension in the remaining 9, 1 of whom had a fatal outcome.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.4keywords = haemorrhage (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/23. Variceal haemorrhage in hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia.Hepatic in involvement in hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia can lead to cirrhosis and occasionally to portal hypertension and variceal haemorrhage. The ultrasonographic, arteriographic and histological findings are described in a patient with this complication. hepatic artery embolisation proved unsuccessful in arresting repeated haemorrhage which was eventually controlled by hepatic artery ligation. Porto-systemic venous shunting, an apparently logical approach to management, would probably have aggravated the problem.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1.2keywords = haemorrhage (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/23. Haemorrhage from an adhesion-related mesenteric varix in a patient with portal hypertension.We report a case of profuse gastrointestinal haemorrhage from an ileal varix, in a segment of bowel adherent to the site of a previous incisional hernia repair, in a patient with portal hypertension. This is a rare but recognised complication of portal hypertension. Localisation of the bleeding point was achieved by radionuclide scanning and the segment of abnormal bowel was successfully resected.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.2keywords = haemorrhage (Clic here for more details about this article) |
| | Next -> |