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Systemic embolization as a complication of transhepatic venography
Radiology
|October 1, 1981
Summary
Cirrhosis patients with portal hypertension can develop shunts. These shunts may allow Gelfoam particles to travel from gastric veins to the arterial system, potentially causing serious complications.
Area of Science:
- Vascular surgery
- Gastroenterology
- Interventional radiology
Background:
- Patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension often develop abnormal connections (anastomoses) between veins.
- These shunts can occur between the high-pressure periesophageal veins and low-pressure bronchial/pulmonary veins near the pulmonary hili.
Observation:
- The developed anastomoses create a potential pathway for embolization.
- Small Gelfoam particles injected into coronary or short gastric veins could travel through these shunts.
Findings:
- Embolization of Gelfoam particles into the systemic arterial circulation is a theoretical risk.
- The authors found no reports of such complications in their review.
Implications:
- Understanding these shunts is crucial for interventional procedures involving Gelfoam embolization.
- Further research may be needed to assess the actual incidence and clinical significance of this complication.