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Small bowel varices: report of two cases
H Ishida1, K Konno, Y Hamashima
1First Department of Internal Medicine, Akita University School of Medicine, Japan.
Abdominal Imaging
|July 15, 1998
Summary
Diagnosing small bowel varices, often linked to portal hypertension, is difficult. Color Doppler sonography effectively identified these varices in two cases, aiding early diagnosis and treatment.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Vascular Imaging
- Hepatology
Background:
- Small bowel varices are rare but serious complications of portal hypertension.
- Diagnosing small bowel varices often requires invasive procedures.
- Portal hypertension can stem from liver cirrhosis or portal vein thrombosis.
Observation:
- Two patients with portal hypertension presented with small bowel varices.
- One patient had liver cirrhosis, the other had a portal thrombus.
- Color Doppler sonography was utilized for diagnosis.
Findings:
- Color Doppler sonography visualized small bowel varices.
- The varices were supplied by the superior mesenteric vein.
- Drainage pathways included the iliac vein and ovarian vein.
Implications:
- Color Doppler sonography offers a non-invasive method for detecting small bowel varices.
- Early detection facilitates timely and appropriate management strategies.
- This imaging technique can improve diagnostic accuracy for challenging cases.