Case Report
Copyright ©2005 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 14, 2005; 11(14): 2206-2209
Published online Apr 14, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i14.2206
Extrahepatic portal vein aneurysm: Two case reports of surgical intervention
Bi Jin, Yuan Sun, Yi-Qing Li, Yu-Guo Zhao, Chuan-Shan Lai, Xian-Song Feng, Chi-Dan Wan
Bi Jin, Yuan Sun, Yi-Qing Li, Yu-Guo Zhao, Chuan-Shan Lai, Department of Vascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Huazhong Science and Technology University, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province, China
Xian-Song Feng, Chi-Dan Wan, Department of Portal Hypert-ension Surgery, Union Hospital, Huazhong Science and Technology University, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Bi Jin, Department of Vascular Surgery, Union Hospital, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province, China. jinbi2000@hotmail.com
Telephone: +86-27-85726396
Received: July 7, 2004
Revised: July 8, 2004
Accepted: July 22, 2004
Published online: April 14, 2005
Abstract

We report two cases of extrahepatic portal vein aneurysm, and both of them underwent surgical intervention. The first case had a mild pain in right upper quadrant of the abdomen; the second had no obvious symptoms. Physical examination revealed nothing abnormal. Both of them were diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging angiography (MRA). One of the aneurysms was located at the main portal vein, the other, at the confluence of the superior mesenteric vein and the splenic vein, and these two places are exactly the most common locations of the extrahepatic portal vein aneurysm reported in the literature (30.7% each site). The first case underwent aneurysmorrhaphy and the second case, aneurysm resection with splene-ctomy. Both of them recovered soon after the operation, and the symptom of the first case was greatly alleviated. During the follow-up of half a year, no complication and adverse effect of surgical intervention was found and the color Doppler ultrasonography revealed no recurrence of the aneurysmal dilation. We suggest that surgical interv-ention can alleviate the symptom of the extrahepatic portal vein aneurysm and prevent its complications effectively and safely for low risk patients.

Keywords: Extrahepatic portal vein aneurysm; Surgical intervention; Splenectomy