Refractory and Severe Hepatogenous Diabetes in a Patient with Cirrhosis Improved by Balloon-Occluded Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration of a Large Portosystemic Shunt.

ABSTRACT

A 54-year-old male with liver cirrhosis (Child-Pugh score 5) presented with severe hepatogenous diabetes (HbA1c 12.6%). Contrast-enhanced CT showed a large portosystemic shunt from the inferior mesenteric vein to the left internal iliac vein. Glucose monitoring showed postprandial hyperglycemia and reactive hypoglycemia. After balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO) and partial splenic transarterial embolization, postprandial hyperglycemia was diminished. Seven months later, HbA1c had improved from 12.6% to 6.7%. In this case, postprandial hyperglycemia occurred by direct delivery of glucose into the systemic circulation via the shunt, and fasting hypoglycemia occurred during treatment with oral antidiabetic agents and insufficient gluconeogenesis. BRTO of the portosystemic shunt resulted in improvement in hepatogenous diabetes.