Traumatic portacaval shunt: a case report and literature review

Computed tomography (CT) evaluation of the acute polytrauma patient has become well established as a mainstay of ER triage in hemodynamically stable patients. The radiologist plays a pivotal role in directing management by identifying and appropriately categorizing the severity of a patient's injuries. High-grade liver injuries have undergone an increasing trend of nonoperative management over the last several decades, with concurrent decrease in mortality. However, we present a case of a patient with a grade V liver laceration, in whom a rare portacaval shunt was also present. In the setting of this rare injury, the radiologist will likely be the first person to recognize and categorize a severe complication, which may indicate the need for a fundamental change in patient management.